From our new issue: @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social writes of Hungary’s sustainable path forward after 16 years of Orbán’s rule. ip-quarterly.com/en/hungarys-...

✊ Bringing down the Orbán-regime was the accummulation of various pro-democracy actors' efforts: the resistance of independent media & civil society preserved space the rising Tisza could capitalize on. I enjoyed our discussion hosted by Tom Carothers @carnegieendowment.org Watch here: t.ly/7lQJ7

.atlatszo.hu obtained Danube Institute contracts—a central hub in Orbán's push to link European right-wing populists with MAGA. Right before the election, it signed record-value deals abroad, spending public funds to expand on the Anglo-American right. VSquare.org

📚 Very exited to share that our book "Depleting Democracies: Radical Right Impact on Parties, Policies, and Polities in Eastern Europe", published by @manchesterup.bsky.social, is finally out in paperback! And it's on summer sale!

🗣️ Rethinking Hungary-Ukraine Relations June 30, 9am ET/16.00 CET Looking forward to discussing a possible reset w/ Tamás Csiki Varga, Serhiy Gerasymchuk, @danielhegedus.bsky.social & Balázs Tárnok under the Hungary-Ukraine Reconciliation Initiative of @gmfus.bsky.social ➡️ Register: t.ly/BhVCv

The new issue of @ipq.bsky.social is out! I was happy to contribute a short piece pinning down the main challenges awaiting the new Hungarian government. The diplomatic sprint was impressive - now comes the obstacle course: ip-quarterly.com/en/hungarys-... Check out also the whole issue below! ⤵️

Today we launch the new version of The PopuList! The PopuList provides an overview of far-left, far-right and populist parties in 31 European countries from 1989 until 1 May 2026. Explore the new website here: popu-list.org

📣 Upcoming event: Rethinking Hungary-Ukraine Relations: A New Start for Reconciliation 🗓️ Online | June 30 | 9:00am ET / 1500 CET Speakers: Tamás Csiki Varga, Serhiy Gerasymchuk, @danielhegedus.bsky.social, Balázs Tárnok, and @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social 🔗 Register: https://bit.ly/4xUlaUz

HOW FIDESZ LOST - June 22, 10am ET Join Róbert László (Political Capital), András Léderer @hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social, @viktoriaserdult.bsky.social (HVG), Áron Tímár (De! Action Community), Tom Carothers @carnegieendowment.org & me to draw lessons from Hungary's democratic resistance t.ly/R8zpM

📣 NEW PAPER My paper reviewing how Fidesz reshaped Hungary’s foreign policy—and, consequently, what the new Tisza government is now faced with—has been published by @carnegieendowment.org. 📖 Read the paper here: carnegieendowment.org/research/202... See the key takeaways below ⤵️

HOW FIDESZ LOST - June 22, 10am ET Join Róbert László (Political Capital), András Léderer @hungarianhelsinki.bsky.social, @viktoriaserdult.bsky.social (HVG), Áron Tímár (De! Action Community), Tom Carothers @carnegieendowment.org & me to draw lessons from Hungary's democratic resistance t.ly/R8zpM

@dziblatt.bsky.social and I in @foreignaffairs.com on the real lessons from Hungary www.foreignaffairs.com/hungary/how-...

Viktor Orbán may be out as Hungary’s Prime Minister. But the right-wing populism he deployed as a foreign policy strategy – and the web of allies in which he embedded himself – will have far-reaching consequences. @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social explains:

📣 NEW PAPER My paper reviewing how Fidesz reshaped Hungary’s foreign policy—and, consequently, what the new Tisza government is now faced with—has been published by @carnegieendowment.org. 📖 Read the paper here: carnegieendowment.org/research/202... See the key takeaways below ⤵️

Monday at 9 ET: our next panel on democratic resistance - how did Poland's civil society and political parties push back against misuse of power? And what can they do now to unravel the costs? Register here: ecornell.cornell.edu/keynotes/ove...

Civil society is often among the first targets of illiberal governments. In a new @gmfus.bsky.social Resilience podcast episode, I spoke with @danielhegedus.bsky.social about shrinking civic space in Central Europe, and lessons from Hungary and Slovakia. Listen here: t.ly/mZhUO

In the GMF #ResiliencePodcastSeries, I had the pleasure of discussing with the great @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social the tools that #illiberal governments have used—and continue to use—within the 🇪🇺 to shrink civic space and target civil society. Check out the conversation 👉 tinyurl.com/yay25rfh

1. My 🎙 #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora, in May. If you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ▶️ ko-fi.com/amatisak ▶️ Regime change in Hungary: What’s next for Péter Magyar and Viktor Orbán?, with @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social. podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and...

The Magyar government is dictating a crazy pace. In the War & Peace podcast of @crisisgroup.org we tried to keep up. W/ @olyaoliker.bsky.social we discussed the Magyar government's priorities home & abroad, and the future of Fidesz & its illiberal networks. 🎧 www.crisisgroup.org/pod/europe/h...

Terrific discussion with @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social on new @crisisgroup.org War & Peace podcast. Interested in why Hungarians voted for Magyar, what his new government can & can't do, lessons for overthrowing autocrats, prospects for relations with Kyiv, & how best to disburse EU funds? Listen in!

💭 What comes after Fidesz? I enjoyed chatting w/ @elmirab.bsky.social about Magyar’s rise and the durability of Orbanism. We discussed Hungary’s future inside the EU, and the legacy of Orbán-era policies. 🎧 Give it a listen & follow Interruptrr on Substack: interruptrr.substack.com/p/peter-magy...

🔥 The Magyar-government is formed. Hungary's new foreign minister is Anita Orbán. ➡️ The new government will back NATO & EU, regional ties & Hungarians abroad while defending national sovereignty & seeking less confrontational EU relations. 🔗 My overview for @ecfr.eu: ecfr.eu/article/tisz...

💥Hungary's newly elected PM Péter Magyar, in his first speech, apologizes to victims of the Orbán government's smear campaigns and harassment, including NGOs and journalists. For 16 years, dozens if not hundreds of us had to endure our newsrooms being taken over, surveillance and pressure campaigns.

✨ On Europe Day, the flag of the EU returned to the Hungarian parliament as Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary's prime minister. He promised to re-anchor Hungary in Europe and restore democracy. Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule has come to an end. 📺 My interview with @deutschewelle.dw.com: t.ly/5or-h

Hungary's new PM Péter Magyar "...pledged to build a more inclusive Hungary, one that would be more free, humane and hopeful than under Orbán’s populist nationalist movement. “What connects us will be stronger than what divides us,” he said." May that be! www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

What are the most immediate challenges Hungary's new government needs to tackle? ➡️Restoring the rule of law ➡️Kickstarting the economy by unfreezing EU funds ➡️Unrolling sectoral reforms with transparency and accountability Read more in my piece for @gssc-lt.bsky.social: www.gssc.lt/en/publicati...

🕚 Today is Viktor Orbán's last day as Hungary's prime minister. 🎧 We discussed what's next for Fidesz and Tisza with @matisaksk.bsky.social in his Global Agora podcast: ko-fi.com/post/Podcats...

Expert Zsuzsanna Végh analyzes the challenges after Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power - from institutional reform and economic recovery to rebuilding ties with the EU. What would Magyar’s 16-member cabinet mean for Hungary’s political direction? Read more: www.gssc.lt/en/publicati...

Regime change in #Hungary: What’s next for Péter #Magyar and Viktor #Orbán? My🎙 #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora, with @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social. ▶️ ko-fi.com/post/Podcats... ✅️ If you enjoy what I do, please buy me ☕️ coffee. Thank you! #politics

Regime change in #Hungary: What’s next for Péter #Magyar and Viktor #Orbán? Listen to another episode of my 🎙 #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora. I talked to @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social. ▶️ podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and... #politics

What does the Hungarian election teach us about electoral autocracies? They can be more vulnerable than they appear and can be defeated when democratic forces across sectors adapt strategically to capitalize on moments of declining regime legitimacy. For @revdem2020.bsky.social: t.ly/VrEhG

✍️ Hungary’s election shows that electoral autocracies can be more vulnerable than they appear and can be defeated when democratic opposition forces adapt strategically and coordinate across sectors, @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social writes in her op-ed. 🇭🇺🗳️ 🧑‍💻 Read it now: 👉 tinyurl.com/jxxyw9p9

📣 Challenging Illiberal Power: Democratic Campaigns in Central and Eastern Europe 🗓️ Thursday, 23 April 2026 ⏰ 9:15am ET/15:15 CET 📍 Online Speakers: Anna Vindics, Martin Burgr, Sven Gerst, @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social 🔗 Register: https://bit.ly/4cSQNoS

Is #Hungary rethinking its #China strategy or recalibrating it? @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social#Hungary#Chinaoints to a more nuanced approach to Chinese investment. Rather than a single-minded vision, Hungary seems to remain open within the boundaries of its alliance commitments. More here: https://bit.ly/3OgOzGq

#Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Peter Magyar, is moving fast to take over from Viktor Orban within weeks, pledging to end 16 years of democratic backsliding. @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social talks with Viola Gienger about how this election result happened and what’s ahead:

Looking at Tisza's sweeping victory in Hungary, we can gain insights into how competitive autocracies can be defeated. My non-comprehensive take for @gmfus.bsky.social about Péter Magyar's electoral strategy. 🔗 www.gmfus.org/news/magyar-...

Hungarians made history on April 12 when they ousted Prime Minister Orbán and his Fidesz party after 16 years in government. GMF’s @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social explains how the Tisza party’s strategy gives insights into how competitive autocracies can be defeated. 🔗 Read here: https://bit.ly/4tdLuWN

GMF's Zsuzsanna Végh in The Guardian on Orban's defeat: “Effectively, Ukraine is portrayed as a main enemy. This is not just about Ukraine per se, but it fits into the standard strategy of the governing party, of mobilising its electorate through generating fear in society.” https://bit.ly/4tIYymO

Could #Hungary's media landscape change after 16 years? The public media may undergo a reform now that there's a mandate under #Magyar but it won't be simple. @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social#Hungary#Magyartates that #Orbán has dominated the public and private sector for so long, reform will be painful and complex.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has suffered a crushing election defeat. On CNBC, GMF's Zsuzsanna Végh discussed Hungary's election and what the result could mean for Hungary’s relations with the European Union, the United States and Russia. ↪️ Watch the interview here: https://cnb.cx/4cgT2AU

GMF's Zsuzsanna Végh in @michellegoldberg.bsky.social's @nytimes.com column on what Orban's defeat means for the rest of the world: "There is a strong narrative of commitment to the European Union and NATO." ➡️Read here: https://nyti.ms/48I4kgm

Für alle, die nicht dabei sein konnten: Das Webinar zur Wahl in Ungarn mit @pawelzerka.bsky.social, @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social, Piotr Buras und @jeremycliffe.bsky.social steht ab sofort zum Nachschauen zur Verfügung ecfr.eu/event/ecfr-e...

@veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social stated at our webinar today that the initial focus of Hungary's new government will be on domestic politics, adopting immediate reforms to recover economic malfunctions. Listen to the full conversation: https://bit.ly/3OgOzGq

What an election it was! Record numbers at the polls in Hungary, sweeping victory for Tisza, and a shockingly early concession from PM Orbán. Join us at 4:00 pm CET / 10:00 am ET! We start shortly.

Good time to read @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social's comprehensive overview of Tisza's foreign policy profile. ecfr.eu/article/tisz...

🚨Today at 14:00! Piotr Buras, @veghzsuzsanna.bsky.social and @pawelzerka.bsky.social will discuss the Hungarian election results and dive into what Hungarian voters are thinking, their expectations, frustrations, and how durable any political shift might be. Join us: https://bit.ly/3OgOzGq

Tisza looks on track to lead the next Hungarian government. But what are the European and foreign policy positions of its supporters? Our @ecfr.eu pre-election poll tells a nuanced story: ecfr.eu/article/why-...

History is being made

#HungaryElectionThread Record turnout in #Hungary; 37,98% until 11:00 am. Expect final turnaround in the range of 65-80%. (2022:69%) This benefits #Tisza also structuraly: extreme high turnout lowers the chances of the extreme-right party Our Homeland to clear the 5% threshold.

Hungary’s turnout is BRUTAL: 37.98% by 11am (2022: 22.77%), pointing to 75–80% or more overall. In such a scenario, Orbán’s chances look slim, and it’s unlikely any party beyond Fidesz and Péter Magyar’s Tisza clears the 5% threshold. Follow me for more #HungaryElection updates.