Hungary held parliamentary elections on Sunday, with approximately 8.1 million eligible voters participating across the country. The National Election Office reported that about 7.6 million voters planned to cast their ballots in person at over 10,000 polling stations, while nearly 500,000 who qualified for mail-in voting had already begun submitting their votes ahead of election day. Polling stations remained open until 7 p.m. local time, with vote counting commencing thereafter and initial results anticipated later in the evening.

Five parties or alliances competed in the election, including the ruling coalition of Fidesz and the Christian Democratic People’s Party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the main opposition party, Tisza, headed by Peter Magyar. Recent opinion polls indicated solid support for both the incumbent alliance and the opposition, suggesting a competitive race.

Casting his vote in Budapest, Orbán emphasized the importance of strong national unity to address current challenges facing Europe, including energy shortages, financial instability, and economic pressures. While expressing confidence in his victory, Orbán acknowledged the possibility of an opposition win and affirmed his commitment to respecting the democratic outcome. "The will of the people must be respected," he stated.

Opposition leader Magyar, also voting in Budapest, called on supporters to remain calm and positive. He described the election as historic and vowed that a Tisza government would enact swift anti-corruption reforms, pursue Hungary’s accession to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and advocate for the release of European Union funds currently frozen due to disputes with Brussels.

Smaller parties, such as the far-right Our Homeland Movement, are seen as potential entrants to parliament, while others, including the Democratic Coalition and the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party, face long odds in surpassing the electoral threshold.

The outcome of Sunday’s vote will determine Hungary’s political direction amid ongoing regional and international challenges, with both major blocs emphasizing differing approaches to governance and European cooperation.