In Budapest, thousands of people gathered along the Danube and near Parliament as the first results confirmed the victory of Péter Magyar's Tisza party. Celebrations quickly spread to the city center and continued late into the night, with music, honking horns, and crowds, in an atmosphere of relief and surprise after a tense and highly polarized campaign. Similar scenes were observed in other major cities, while analysts noted a strong mobilization of young voters and a marked shift in public sentiment, with a growing segment of the population calling for closer ties with Brussels. The election saw a record turnout of 77.8 percent, according to the National Elections Board, a level not seen in decades. Supporters waved Hungarian and European flags, calling for greater transparency and respect for the rule of law, a sign of the vote's political significance. Viktor Orbán, 62, conceded a "painful but unequivocal" defeat and congratulated his opponent. Péter Magyar, 45, promised a "system change," driven by a program focused on fighting corruption and reforming public services. This outcome could redefine Hungary's relationship with the European Union and influence its direction in governance, the economy, energy, and foreign policy. In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the opening of a "new chapter" for the country.
