JD Vance defends backing ‘great guy’ Orbán’s campaign after landslide defeat

JD Vance Defends Backing Orbán Despite Opposition’s Landslide Win

JD Vance, the U.S. vice president, has asserted that his decision to visit Hungary to support Viktor Orbán’s campaign was justified, even after the opposition party Tisza secured a decisive victory. During a Fox News interview, Vance highlighted Orbán as a leader who “did a very good job” and stood out as “one of the few European leaders willing to challenge the bureaucracy in Brussels.” While expressing disappointment over Orbán’s loss, he expressed confidence that the United States would maintain a productive relationship with the new administration.

“No foreign country may interfere in Hungarian elections,” Magyar had warned earlier, criticizing Vance’s involvement. However, he softened his stance on Monday, acknowledging the U.S. as a “strong and important” NATO ally and open to dialogue if called upon.

Magyar, the leader of Tisza, now holds the reins of power after defeating Orbán’s Fidesz party. Orbán will continue to serve as a caretaker leader until Magyar’s formal inauguration. The three parliamentary leaders have been invited to meet with President Tamás Sulyok on Wednesday, who is tasked with forming the new parliament and recommending the next prime minister by May 12. Magyar has urged Sulyok to resign promptly, labeling him a “puppet” of Orbán’s regime.

Magyar emphasized the need for state media independence, proposing a board to ensure unbiased coverage—comparing the model to the BBC. His party’s “super majority” of 137 seats grants significant authority to reshape Hungary’s political landscape. He aims to address systemic corruption, establish new anti-graft institutions, and initiate Hungary’s integration into the EU’s European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The country’s economic recovery also tops his agenda, with the goal of thawing €17bn in suspended EU funds and unlocking an additional €16bn in defense loans.

Orbán’s tenure was marked by a controversial cronyism system, which funneled public contracts to loyalists and weakened judicial independence. Magyar claimed that billions in state contracts were misappropriated, with corruption operating on an industrial scale. The European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen praised Magyar’s efforts to restore rule of law and realign with European values, while EU leaders pressed Hungary to lift its veto on €90bn in Ukraine aid. Magyar dismissed the veto’s relevance, noting Hungary was among three nations that opted out of the loan in December.

Magyar’s first foreign trip will be to Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged swift release of Ukraine assistance following Hungary’s electoral shift. The new leader has pledged to prioritize cooperation with Berlin, marking the beginning of his administration’s diplomatic strategy.