Hungary's Fidesz re-elects Viktor Orban as party leader after April election defeat

Hungary's Fidesz party has re-elected Viktor Orban as its leader for another year, despite the party's defeat in April's parliamentary election. Orban ran unopposed at the party congress and won a near-unanimous vote, with 729 of 737 delegates backing him. The result keeps the former prime minister at the head of the governing party as it tries to regroup after losing power to the centre-right Tisza party.

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Orban told delegates he took full responsibility for Fidesz's election defeat and said he did not intend to step aside. He also said the party needed to change if it was to function as an opposition force and be ready to govern again. The vote came after some former loyalists had urged him to leave politics, the first such public criticism he has faced since he came to power in 2010.

The leadership decision matters because Fidesz remains a major force in Hungarian politics even after its loss. Tisza won a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the April 12 election, giving it the numbers to reverse constitutional changes introduced under Orban that affected the judiciary, media, universities and other institutions. Since taking office in May, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has said his government will move to amend the constitution and remove officials appointed under Orban.

The change in government has also altered Hungary's position inside the European Union. Magyar's administration agreed to drop Orban's veto against Ukraine pursuing EU membership, allowing accession talks to resume next week in Luxembourg. The EU has also said it will unlock 16.4 billion euros out of 18 billion euros previously frozen over concerns including democratic backsliding, corruption and treatment of LGBTQ issues.

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That makes the state of Fidesz's leadership more than a party matter, because it is tied to Hungary's direction on EU policy and domestic institutions. Orban, 62, has been one of Europe's most prominent nationalist leaders and has long promoted what he calls an illiberal model of democracy. During his time in office he built close ties with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and his political style has influenced right-wing conservatives beyond Hungary.

Fidesz's loss in April marked the first major setback to that model after years in power, and the party now faces the challenge of adapting to opposition politics while retaining its core support. What remains unclear is how much authority Orban can maintain inside a party that has just lost an election and is facing stronger opposition polling. A May survey by the Publicus Institute showed Tisza ahead on 55 percent support, suggesting Fidesz is still under pressure.

The next key test will be whether Orban can rebuild the party's message and organisation before the next major political confrontation in Hungary.

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