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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Martin Belam

Monday briefing: Hungary chooses Péter Magyar over Viktor Orbán

Opposition candidate Peter Magyar speaking at the Tisza election evening event in Budapest
Peter Magyar is seen speaking at the Tisza election evening event in Budapest. Photograph: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Good morning. The people of Hungary are waking up in an unfamiliar political landscape – one in which Viktor Orbán, who has served as prime minister since 2010, is stepping aside after defeat to Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party has won an election likely to reshape the country’s ties with the EU, the US and Russia.

Less than three hours after polls closed on Sunday, Orbán conceded defeat after what he described as a “painful but unambiguous” result. Magyar, who has pledged to repair Hungary’s strained relationship with the EU, crack down on corruption and channel funds towards long-neglected public services, said Tisza voters had rewritten Hungarian history and that “truth prevailed over lies”.

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