– If you say 45, it sounds better, but 44.6 percent is a European record, PM Viktor Orban said in an interview with Hungary's public news channel M1, assessing the results of the governing parties in Sunday's European Parliament elections. Referring to the 57 percent turnout, he said democracy was well and thriving, and he thanked the voters.
– Never before have so many people voted for us in a European election. It is important to look not only at the percentages but also at the absolute numbers," he said. Mobilization was key and turnout was high because the issue of war or peace was at stake, he added.
This was a complicated election because it was both a European and a local Hungarian election. When the campaign kicked off, I knew that I had to defeat both the old and the new opposition, and I see this as a particularly valuable achievement Mr Orban said.
He said they had retained people's confidence and even managed to increase their support, but they had both won and lost certain cities. We have to work better, and only humble work can help. "I've always believed in work; the campaign is only the end result," PM Orban explained.
In terms of the search for European alliances, he emphasized that they had to keep a constant eye on the European parties. "We had to stop European politicians from drifting ever faster into a war, and had we failed, we would be wading deep in one," he said.
– "Now, we managed to slow it down because there's been a big change in France, where the pro-peace movement secured a huge victory. We won the first half, 1-0 here, and we're waiting for Donald Trump to deliver in the second half," Mr Orban stated.
Every election must be won when there is one, he said, adding that
there will be elections in 2026 and beyond, and they, too, will have to be won then.
He indicated that the government has plenty of work to do, such as restarting the economy and ensuring that inflation does not spiral out of control again. He underlined that Hungary must stay out of the war and deal with its day-to-day tasks simultaneously.
– "If the two right-wing groups, the Conservatives (ECR) and the Identity Group, come to an agreement and we join them, then they will be the second force in the EP," Mr Orban said regarding the transformation of the balance of power in Brussels.
He pointed out that they did better than expected in the local elections, but not as well as he would have liked, because they won back four county-level cities but lost three compared to 2019, and they remain the strongest in all county assemblies, including the capital. Results in Budapest's districts were tied; they lost one and regained one.
– "With such an agonizing year of war behind us, scoring 14% higher than those who came in second is a good result, something I would sign up for even in 2026," Mr Orban said. "We must fight for success, but let's be happy with the success of this election," he added.
Regarding Alexandra Szentkirályi's withdrawal as a mayoral candidate for Budapest, PM Orban said the idea did open up the race. – "Budapest is in financial bankruptcy, and much work needs to be done to ensure that residents of the capital live in the kind of city they want and deserve," Mr Orban said, elaborating on the current situation in the capital.
He said in politics, what counts is time, work, and humility. "What is appreciated in Hungary is that there is stable, predictable public security and work here." Mr Orban explained that for him, political work accounted for 20 percent of his time and government work for 80 percent, whereas in the West it was the other way around.
– "Let's work and stand our ground, and when the time comes, we will win, as we have always won in the last elections. There is no party in Hungary that wouldn't happily be in our shoes," Mr Orban said, concluding the interview.
Cover photo: PM Orban gives an interview to Hungary's public news channel M1, after Sunday's elections (Photo: MTI/PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)
