Viktor Orbán, the former Prime Minister of Hungary and leader of the Fidesz party, has announced his decision to forgo his parliamentary mandate following the party’s defeat in the recent elections held on April 12. The new Prime Minister will be Péter Madár, leader of the Tisza party.
Orbán’s statement was reported by the Hungarian publication Telex. He explained,
“The mandate I received as the leader of the Fidesz-KDNP list is essentially a parliamentary mandate for Fidesz, so I have decided to return it. Now, I am needed not in parliament, but in the reorganization of the national party.”
On April 27, the newly elected Hungarian parliament will begin forming new factions. Gergely Gulyás will lead the Fidesz faction, which Orbán indicated will undergo a significant transformation.
Orbán also announced that a national assembly for the Fidesz party is scheduled for next week, and the party’s congress, initially set for the fall, has been postponed to June. He stated that if the congress expresses confidence in him, he will continue to lead the Fidesz party.
Parliamentary Elections in Hungary
The parliamentary elections on April 12 saw a record voter turnout of 79.5%. Orbán, who has led the Fidesz party, acknowledged his defeat and congratulated Péter Madár on his victory.
In his victory speech, Madár outlined a plan to restore cooperation with NATO and the European Union, particularly with the Visegrád Group countries, and announced that his first official visit would be to Poland.
On April 18, it was reported that the Tisza party, under Madár’s leadership, has solidified its position in the Hungarian parliament following the final vote count. Official results indicate that Tisza will secure 141 seats out of 199 in the National Assembly, while Orbán’s Fidesz will have 52 legislators, and the far-right Mi Hazánk party will have six representatives.
Viktor Orbán has resigned from his parliamentary mandate after Fidesz's electoral defeat, signaling a shift in Hungary's political landscape. Péter Madár is set to become the new Prime Minister, with plans for renewed cooperation with NATO and the EU.