Hungary is on the cusp of a change of government after Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party suffered a clear defeat in Sunday’s elections. Péter Magyar, leader of the pro-European Tisza party, is set to become the new head of government after securing a clear majority of votes. It marks the first time in 16 years that Orban has faced a genuinely formidable challenger, and the result has been described as historic, with young Hungarians in particular driving the desire for change.
As a member of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Hungarian government requested an election observation mission from the OSCE, as it has done every four years.
To ensure the elections were conducted freely and fairly, experts have been in the country since the beginning of March, with a further 200 short-term observers, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, travelling to Hungary for polling day itself.
Among them were three Luxembourg MPs: Gilles Baum of the Democratic Party (DP), Claude Hagen of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP), and Emile Eicher of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV). Baum described what a day of an election observer entails.
The team was up at four or five in the morning, arriving at polling stations before they opened at six to check that ballot boxes were empty and properly sealed. Over the course of the day, they visited a total of 14 polling stations, assessing whether voters were able to participate fairly and freely, without interference.
The observation mission was no courtesy visit: Under Orban’s leadership over the past 16 years, Hungary has drifted in an increasingly authoritarian direction, with the organisation Freedom House identifying it as the EU member state with the most authoritarian characteristics. Orban has sought to place allies in key independent institutions, including the courts. Therefore, the stakes for these elections were high.
Despite those concerns, the day itself passed without incident. Baum reported that organisation at the polling stations was smooth, with long queues at some locations suggesting exceptionally high turnout.
Voters arrived in large numbers, many bringing their children, and the process was conducted in an orderly and disciplined manner. Colleagues from other countries reported the same. The conclusion was clear: the elections were free, fair and well organised.
When the results came in, the reaction on the streets of the Hungarian capital was immediate, with bursts of joy and sheer emotion. Baum described seeing dancing in the streets, people embracing one another, and the younger generation walking through Budapest with flags held high. “An atmosphere”, he said, “like it was probably last seen here in Budapest when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.”
