The left bench in Hungary is empty
With a two-thirds majority, Péter Magyar and his Tisza party can push through almost any decision. The question is not whether the new authorities will be more democratic than Viktor Orbán – they clearly are – but whether they will restrain themselves over the long term.
June 23, 2026 -
Gábor Harangozó
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AnalysisIssue 4 2026Magazine
Inside the Hungarian parliament. With a two-thirds majority, Tisza can push through almost any decision. The question is not whether Magyar is more democratic than Orbán – he clearly is – but whether he will restrain himself over the long term.
Photo: Mehes Daniel/Shutterstock
When the new Hungarian National Assembly elected Péter Magyar as prime minister on May 9th 2026, for many the scene was more than a routine change of government. It marked the end of an era. The European Union flag was restored to the front of the parliament building. At the inaugural session, the national anthem and “Ode to Joy” were followed by the Roma anthem, performed partly by Roma children, during which members of the far-right Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland) walked out. The image was almost too potent not to become a historical symbol: Europe, Roma dignity, a new parliamentary majority, the visible retreat of the old regime’s nationalist and illiberal reflexes – all at once.
Among Hungarians committed to democratic values, the mood is euphoric. Many feel the country is undergoing its second regime change since 1989. Not only has the 16-year Orbán system fallen; the new government’s first gestures speak the language of European and rule-of-law restoration. In his inaugural address, Péter Magyar declared that Hungary will no longer be a country without consequences. That sentence expresses the sense of justice felt by millions. Voters expect not just a calmer public life but accountability – not just new ministers but acknowledgement that the privatization of public assets, party-political capture of state institutions, and the humiliation of civil society cannot go unanswered.
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Hungary, left wing, Péter Magyar, politics
