Elections in Hungary: Results and Implications for Europe

The Hungarian parliamentary elections on 12 April 2026 carry great significance. After 16 years of systematically dismantling democratic institutions, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán now faces an unprecedented challenge from Péter Magyar, the lead candidate of the Tisza Party. The outcome of the elections will have repercussions for the country and for the whole of Europe. As Hungary has served as a strategic model for authoritarian governance in Europe and beyond, the election results must be viewed and assessed also within an international context.

We invite you to a closed-door breakfast debate to analyse the factors that influenced the results, as well as its broader implications for the European project. The discussion will focus on several key questions: Under what conditions did the elections take place and which factors proved decisive? How will the emerging political landscape shape the rule of law, independent media and civil society in Hungary? What impact will the results have on the European Union and the influence of authoritarian actors in Europe and beyond? And finally, what do the results mean for the EU’s continued support for Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression?

Join us discussing these and further questions with our panel of experts. 

Welcome: 
Jan Philipp Albrecht, President, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin 

Discussion with: 

• Márta Pardávi, Co-Director of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Budapest
• Bulcsú Hunyadi, Head of Programmes, Political Capital, Budapest
• Dániel Hegedűs, Deputy Director, Institut für Europäische Politik, Berlin

Moderation: Adéla Jurečková, Office Director, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Prague
 

The discussion will take place in English under Chatham House Rule.

Contact: Ewa Peteja, peteja@boell.de