If Hungary can become a model for illiberal movements elsewhere to emulate, it can also become a sandbox for experimenting with democratic renewal. America and others suffering democratic backsliding can offer lessons for Péter Magyar’s new government, whose successes or failures, in turn, will generate new lessons.
CHICAGO—Battling a hostile media environment and a gerrymandered electoral map, the Hungarian opposition, led by Péter Magyar, has triumphed over Viktor Orbán, winning not just a bare majority but the supermajority needed to amend the constitution. It is a stunning reversal, especially considering that Orbán secured supermajorities in 2014, 2018, and 2022, allowing him to entrench his party, Fidesz, in state institutions and the public sphere.
CHICAGO—Battling a hostile media environment and a gerrymandered electoral map, the Hungarian opposition, led by Péter Magyar, has triumphed over Viktor Orbán, winning not just a bare majority but the supermajority needed to amend the constitution. It is a stunning reversal, especially considering that Orbán secured supermajorities in 2014, 2018, and 2022, allowing him to entrench his party, Fidesz, in state institutions and the public sphere.