Hungarian opposition party Tisza poised for potential election victory

Hungary's national election on Sunday saw high voter turnout, with 74.23% of the electorate casting ballots by 15:00 GMT, a significant increase from 62.92% in 2022. Partial results based on 29.2% of votes counted project the opposition Tisza party, led by Peter Magyar, to win 132 mandates in the 199-seat parliament. Earlier projections and post-election surveys suggest Tisza may secure between 55% and 57% of the vote. If confirmed, this result would end the 16-year tenure of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz party. While Fidesz chief of staff Gergely Gulyas expressed confidence in maintaining a parliamentary majority, the opposition remains optimistic based on the recorded voter turnout. Orban has governed Hungary since 2008, characterizing his rule as an illiberal democracy. Official final results are expected later on Sunday evening. The potential transition of power follows years of economic stagnation and rising costs for the Hungarian population.