End of an Era: Viktor Orban Concedes Defeat in Hungarian Elections to Upstart Rival Magyar

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat in the parliamentary elections on Sunday, bringing an end to 16 years of governance in Budapest.

Following a hotly contested campaign against his rival, Member of European Parliament Péter Magyar, and his upstart Tisza Party, a record turnout of over three-quarters of voters decided to turn the page from Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, which had ruled the country since 2010.

With over two-thirds of the votes counted, Tisza held a lead of 53 per cent to 37 per cent, according to Magyar Nemzet, likely paving the way for a governing majority in the parliament.

It will not be the first time Orbán, has been sent to the opposition benches. Despite persistent claims of being a faux dictator, Orbán accepted his first defeat in 2002 after serving four years as PM, before coming back to power eight years later.

Conceding defeat on Sunday evening, Orbán