Hungary, from Von der Leyen to Macron to Zelensky: all happy with Magyar's victory
The festive square of Peter Magyar's supporters on the banks of the Danube is, in a broad sense, also the festive square of Brussels. Of Europeanism. Of those who do not want to stop supporting Ukraine. After the Hungarian election night and the defeat of Viktor Orban, the EU wakes up again to 27. It finds itself stronger, even further away from Donald Trump's America. Remaining silent in the last few days, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, enemy number one of the outgoing Hungarian premier, entrusted her silent joy to one line, on X: "Tonight the heart of Europe beats faster in Hungary." And among those who greeted Magyar's victory with satisfaction and hope was also Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: "Congratulations to Peter Magyar and the Tisza party on their overwhelming victory. Ukraine has always sought good neighbourly relations with everyone in Europe and is ready to develop cooperation with Hungary," the Ukrainian president wrote on X. "Europe and every European nation must become stronger, and millions of Europeans seek cooperation and stability," he added. "We are ready for meetings and constructive joint work for the benefit of both nations, as well as for peace, security and stability in Europe," Zelensky concluded.
12 April, in the halls of EU power, had long been seen as a crucial date for the future of Europe. A confirmation of Orban would have distanced Hungary, perhaps definitively, from Brussels. Budapest's vetoes, in recent months, had grown in number and importance, reaching their peak in the 'no' to the 90 billion loan for Kiev, despite the fact that Orban himself had agreed to it at the December European Council. The patience of European leaders was reaching a point of no return. It is no coincidence that among the very first leaders to call Peter Magyar to congratulate him on his victory was the French president Emmanuel Macron. In a message on X, the French president congratulated Magyar: 'France salutes a victory of democratic participation, of the Hungarian people's attachment to the values of the European Union and of Hungary in Europe. Together, we promote a more sovereign Europe, for the security of our continent, our competitiveness and our democracy,' Macron wrote.
"Hungary has made up its mind, let us work together for a strong and above all united Europe," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz remarked on X.
"Congratulations to MEP Peter Magyar on his victory in today's national elections in Hungary. Hungary's place is at the heart of Europe,' writes the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, on X.
Nordic and Baltic leaders congratulate Tisza on the historic victory. The Guardian writes. Norway's Jonas Gahr Store hails it as 'an achievement of great importance for the whole of Europe', and Sweden's Ulf Kristersson calls it 'a historic victory', which 'marks a new chapter in Hungary's history'. The president and prime minister of Lithuania also sent their congratulations, as did the prime minister of Latvia.
