Budapest night of liberation: tens of thousands celebrate as Péter Magyar’s Tisza party ends Orbán’s 16-year rule

As partial results rolled in late on Sunday, Budapest transformed into a sea of Hungarian flags, blazing torches, and jubilant crowds. Along the banks of the Danube and near Parliament, tens of thousands of Tisza supporters gathered well into the early morning hours, dancing, chanting, and cheering the end of Viktor Orbán’s long dominance. The atmosphere was electric – a mix of relief, euphoria, and disbelief after years of opposition frustration.

Péter Magyar, the former Fidesz insider turned opposition leader, addressed the throng with a message of renewal. “Together we liberated Hungary, we have reclaimed our country,” he declared to roaring applause. Supporters waved flags and lit torches as he walked through the crowd, with many young people chanting “two-thirds!” – a direct reference to the supermajority Tisza appeared headed for in the 199-seat National Assembly. Even after Magyar’s speech concluded, the celebrations spilled into the streets, with people lingering past 1 a.m., filling embankments and squares in what felt like a spontaneous street party.

Historic landslide in Hungary: Péter Magyar’s Tisza party poised for two-thirds majority

The night capped a day of record turnout – nearly 80 percent, the highest in Hungary’s post-communist history – driven especially by younger voters eager for change. With over 98 percent of votes counted, projections showed Tisza securing around 138 seats, comfortably above the 133 needed for a two-thirds majority. Fidesz–KDNP was projected to drop to roughly 55 seats, with the far-right Mi Hazánk taking just six. Orbán conceded defeat, calling the result “painful” and personally telephoning Magyar to congratulate him. Magyar later posted on X confirming the call, signalling a relatively dignified transition.

“Russians, go home”

The mood on the streets reflected deep-seated weariness with corruption, declining public services, and Hungary’s isolationist drift. Many celebrants described the victory as a chance to “live again” as a European country. Chants echoed earlier pre-election energy – from Friday’s massive concert at Heroes’ Square, where crowds had already belted out “Mocskos Fidesz!” (“Dirty Fidesz!”) and “Ruszkik haza!” (“Russians, go home!”) amid performances by popular artists. But Sunday night felt different: cathartic and forward-looking rather than defiant.

“Ruszkik haza!” on the Budapest metro.
What a moment. pic.twitter.com/xAgwlB454N
— Jakub Krupa (@JakubKrupa) April 12, 2026

European leaders quickly offered congratulations, with calls reportedly coming to Magyar from figures including Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO’s Mark Rutte. The supermajority opens the door to constitutional reforms, potential unlocking of frozen EU funds, and a reorientation toward Brussels – shifts many in the celebrating crowds had long awaited.

From the Danube embankment to Parliament Square, the night belonged to a generation that turned out in force. After 16 years of one-party dominance, Budapest’s streets pulsed with the sound of a country reclaiming its direction. Whether the momentum delivers swift change remains to be seen, but for one historic night, Hungary felt unmistakably alive with possibility.

Caption: Supporters of the opposition Tisza Party celebrate after the party won landslide victory in the general elections in Budapest, Hungary, 12 April 2026. EPA/Robert Hegedus