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Hungary’s new leader once idolized Orbán — now he’s the man who brought him down
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Péter Magyar has gone from political outsider to Hungary’s most powerful politician almost overnight.
The 44-year-old lawyer and former insider in former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling party swept to victory in Hungary’s 2026 election, ending Orbán’s 16-year rule and stunning Europe.
«Thank you to every Hungarian at home and around the world!» he wrote on X. «It is an immense honor that you have empowered us to form a government with the most votes ever received, and to work for the next four years for a free, European, functioning, and humane Hungary.»
Here are the key things to know about the man now set to lead Hungary.
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Péter Magyar has gone from political outsider to Hungary’s most powerful politician almost overnight. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/Nur Photo via Getty Images)
He grew up admiring Viktor Orbán
Magyar was born in 1981 in Budapest, Hungary, into a family of lawyers. He was just nine years old when communism collapsed in Hungary and the country held its first democratic elections.
As a child, he idolized Orbán, who at the time was a young anti-Communist activist demanding that Soviet troops leave Hungary. Magyar has said he kept a photo of Orbán on his bedroom wall, Reuters reported.
That early admiration makes his rise all the more remarkable: the boy who once saw Orbán as a hero ultimately became the politician who ended his rule.
He comes from the same political world
Before becoming Orbán’s biggest challenger, Magyar was part of the same Hungarian political establishment.
He spent years inside Orbán’s conservative Fidesz movement and worked in positions connected to the Hungarian state. Because of that background, analysts say Magyar understands the system from the inside.
«He’s an insider,» said Helena Ivanov, an associate research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), a London-based foreign policy think tank. «He knows and understands the inside out of the Hungarian political system.»
That insider status, she added, was «exceptionally important» to his success.
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Before becoming Orbán’s biggest challenger, Magyar was part of the same Hungarian political establishment. (Denes Erdos/AP)
He studied law and worked in government
Like many members of Hungary’s political elite, Magyar trained as a lawyer.
After studying law, he entered public service. When his then-wife took a position in Brussels, Magyar joined Hungary’s diplomatic corps and worked on European Union legislation.
After returning to Hungary, he held senior positions at a state-owned bank and later ran Hungary’s student loan agency.
His background gave him experience in both Brussels and the Hungarian bureaucracy, helping him position himself as a bridge between Hungary and the European Union.
His marriage made him part of Orbán’s inner circle
Magyar married Judit Varga in 2006. Varga later became one of Orbán’s most prominent ministers and served as Hungary’s justice minister.
For years, that marriage placed Magyar close to the center of power in Hungary.
The couple had three sons, but their marriage eventually broke down. They divorced in 2023, shortly before Magyar launched his political rebellion.
The 44-year-old lawyer and former insider in former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling party swept to victory in Hungary’s 2026 election, ending the 16-year rule of Orbán, pictured here, and stunning Europe. (Denes Erdos/The Associated Press )
He broke with Orbán after a major scandal
Magyar’s political transformation began after a scandal that rocked Hungary in 2024.
Varga resigned after public outrage over a pardon linked to a child sexual abuse case. The scandal opened a rare crack in Orbán’s government.
Magyar publicly broke with Fidesz, accusing the government of corruption and propaganda.
For Ivanov, that moment was decisive.
«The key breakdown was the fact that Orbán’s government participated in a cover-up … and that ultimately led him to start his own political campaign,» she said.
Until 2024, most Hungarians had barely heard of Magyar. Then he gave a high-profile interview and launched a new political movement. (Marton Monus/Reuters)
He became an instant political star
Until 2024, most Hungarians had barely heard of Magyar.
Then he gave a high-profile interview and launched a new political movement. Within months, he transformed himself into the face of Hungary’s opposition.
His Tisza party won 30% in the 2024 European elections, before defeating Fidesz nationally less than two years later.
Ivanov said his rapid rise came down to strategy.
«He was able to capture the hearts and minds of the Hungarian people by focusing … on the internal issues that were their key grievances,» she said.
He is more pro-European than Orbán, but still conservative
Magyar is not a traditional liberal politician.
Like Orbán, he opposes illegal immigration, supports Hungary’s border fence and rejects European Union migrant quotas.
«When it comes to immigration, I’m not really that sure that we’re going to see much of a change,» Ivanov told Fox News Digital. «Magyar so far has made it clear that the fence originally built by Orbán will stay in place. He has said that he is not going to support the EU migration pact.»
«So that’s one thing where we may possibly see some continuity, or at least some overlap, between Magyar and Orbán,» she added. «But … bringing the country back to a stable democracy is one of the key priorities that Magyar has.»
But unlike Orbán, he has pledged to rebuild ties with the European Union and unlock frozen EU funds.
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Magyar describes himself as religious and often emphasizes family life. (Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)
Ivanov said the shift could be significant, especially after years of deteriorating relations with Brussels.
«He has promised to rebuild the relationship between the European Union and Hungary,» she said.
Still, she cautioned that tensions may remain, particularly over Russia and Ukraine policy.
Religion and family are central to his image
Magyar describes himself as religious and often emphasizes family life.
He has said he enjoys cooking and playing soccer with his sons.
That image has helped him appeal to conservative voters who were disillusioned with Orbán but not ready to support a left-wing alternative.
He won by campaigning differently
Magyar built his victory through a grassroots campaign. He focused on corruption, cost of living and frustration after 16 years under one leader.
Because Orbán’s allies controlled much of Hungary’s media, he relied heavily on social media, rural outreach and direct voter engagement.
Ivanov said that approach was not just strategic, but necessary.
«The control that Orbán had over the media meant Magyar had to directly engage with the people,» she said.
Ivanov noted that Magyar did not appear on state television for 18 months. His first appearance came only after his victory, during what she described as «a very heated conversation» in which he accused Hungarian state media of carrying out «North Korean-style propaganda» under Orbán.
Péter Magyar, leader of the TISZA party, arrives with a national flag for a rally in Tarnok, Hungary, Oct. 20, 2025. Magyar was elected prime minister in a landslide victory on April 12, 2026. (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty images)
Now, after years as an insider and barely two years as an opposition figure, Magyar is preparing to take power.
Magyar has already signaled that he intends to move quickly against officials tied to the old system.
In a post on X on Wednesday, he said he had arrived at the presidential palace to meet Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok.
«Tamás Sulyok is unworthy of representing the unity of the Hungarian nation,» Magyar wrote. «He is unfit to serve as the guardian of legality. He is not fit to serve as a moral authority or a role model.»
«Following the formation of the new government, Tamás Sulyok must leave office immediately.»
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As a child, Magyar idolized Orbán, who at the time was a young anti-Communist activist demanding that Soviet troops leave Hungary. (Denes Erdos/The Associated Press )
Ivanov called the result «a huge victory for democracy,» but said that reversing years of institutional control «is not going to be an easy process … likely a years-long process.»
Reuters contributed to this report.
hungary, politics, elections, corruption, foreign policy, europe
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Moments after President Donald Trump made his pick in the Texas Senate race, the mood among Senate Republicans immediately shifted.
Several were already en route to their weekly, closed-door lunch preparing to debate the now-stalled immigration funding package and lay out the road ahead for what was set to be a blistering week in the upper chamber.
But Trump’s decision to pick Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, turned even the chattiest of lawmakers stone-faced. And some worry that the choice will jeopardize a seat that has been safely Republican for decades.
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Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, left, faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a GOP primary runoff election. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Antranik Tavitian/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said that she was «supremely disappointed» by the move.
«I think that this puts that seat in jeopardy,» Murkowski said.
«Based on the numbers that I’ve seen, yeah,» she said. «How does that help strengthen the president’s hand when we lose a state like Texas?»
The runoff winner will face insurgent Texas state Rep. James Talarico, who easily toppled Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, earlier this year and has been racking up endorsements from high-profile Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.
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History is on the side of Paxton should he come out on top. Texas hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1988. Still, many Republicans believed Cornyn was the better option. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who chaired the Senate GOP’s campaign arm that clinched the majority in 2024, told Fox News Digital that he was still backing Cornyn.
«I do believe we are going to pull Texas, but I think John Cornyn was the safest bet,» Daines said.
Cornyn has long thrashed Paxton for the scandals that followed him into the race, like his impeachment and alleged affair, and warned that should Paxton win, he’ll be an «albatross» for the GOP heading into November.
«It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down-ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about. I trust the Republican voters of Texas,» Cornyn said.
Paxton campaign strategist Nick Maddux told Fox News Digital that Paxton was a proven winner, having come out on top of three statewide elections.
«This is the only talking point the Cornyn campaign has because, after 42 years of accomplishing nothing, Cornyn has no record to run on,» Maddux said. «The bottom line is that Ken Paxton will be the Republican nominee for this fall, and we are ready to unite the party.»
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Tuesday’s winner will face insurgent Texas state Rep. James Talarico, who easily toppled Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, earlier this year. (Mark Felix/Getty Images)
«The GOP is up against the most radical Democrat who’s ever run statewide in Texas, and Republicans need to come together to save our state from his extremist views,» he continued.
Still, Trump’s endorsement of Paxton a week ahead of the primary runoff battle between him and Cornyn sent a jolt through Senate Republicans, who were already still reeling from Sen. Bill Cassidy’s, R-La., primary loss to Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La.
Now that Election Day has arrived, Cornyn and Paxton will square off one last time this cycle. And many of Cornyn’s colleagues refused to jump ship and back Paxton, who several warned carried baggage that could imperil the seat.
«I thought Ken Paxton was a felon,» Cassidy told reporters.
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who heavily lobbied Trump to back Cornyn, said that ultimately the Paxton endorsement was Trump’s call.
«Senator Cornyn is a principled conservative,» Thune said. «He is a very effective senator for the state of Texas. None of us control what the president does. He made his decision about that. That doesn’t change the way I feel, and I am certainly supportive of and will continue to be supportive of Senator Cornyn in his re-election.»
politics, republicans elections, john thune, senate elections, donald trump
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«Las redes sociales son el nuevo tabaco»: el grito de los médicos británicos para proteger a los adolescentes
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An illegal immigrant mother who ICE agents arrested after a deadly Arizona rollover crash that killed her nine-year-old daughter has now been indicted after toxicology results allegedly showed methamphetamine and marijuana in her system, according to Arizona prosecutors.
Brenda Rivera Estrada, 30, was indicted in connection with the April 12 crash on northbound Interstate 17 near Cactus Road in Phoenix, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Monday.
Authorities said Rivera Estrada crashed her SUV, killing her daughter, who was thrown from the vehicle. Three other children inside the SUV — an 11-year-old boy, a three-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl — suffered minor injuries.
Fox News Digital previously reported that Rivera Estrada’s daughter was allegedly sharing a seatbelt with a sibling when she was ejected during the rollover crash.
ICE ARRESTS RELEASED ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF KILLING DAUGHTER, 9, IN ARIZONA ROLLOVER CRASH
Brenda Liliana Rivera Estrada faces manslaughter and child abuse charges after a rollover crash on Interstate 17 killed her 9-year-old daughter and injured three other children. (Arizona Department of Transportation)
Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers suspected Rivera Estrada had been impaired after they reportedly smelled marijuana at the scene. Prosecutors said toxicology results later showed Rivera Estrada screened positive for both marijuana and methamphetamine.
«The suspect chose to get in a vehicle where she was allegedly under the influence of marijuana,» a prosecutor previously told Fox 10 Phoenix. «Multiple witnesses stated that she was driving above the posted speed limit, which was 65.»
A Maricopa County grand jury indicted Rivera Estrada on one count of manslaughter, three counts of endangerment, one count of possession or use of dangerous drugs and one count of possession or use of drug paraphernalia.
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The manslaughter charge is classified as a Class Two Dangerous Felony.
Rivera Estrada was transported from ICE custody to the Maricopa County Jail following the indictment and is being held on a $250,000 cash bond, prosecutors said.
The indictment comes weeks after ICE confirmed Rivera Estrada, a Mexican national, had initially been released from local custody before federal immigration authorities took her into custody on an immigration detainer while prosecutors awaited toxicology and crash reconstruction results.
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ICE officials previously told Fox News Digital that Rivera Estrada entered the United States through Nogales, Arizona, in February 2009 as a nonimmigrant border crosser authorized to remain in the country for up to 30 days. Officials said she remained in the United States beyond that period in violation of federal immigration law.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell previously defended the delay in filing charges, saying the case required additional investigation before prosecutors could move forward.
«I have said this many times: we have one chance to get this right,» Mitchell said last week. «Complex cases like this routinely take time to gather the evidence needed to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.»
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ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Phoenix Deputy Field Office Director Alejandro Almeida previously said Rivera Estrada’s arrest highlighted the importance of ICE’s Criminal Alien Program.
«The identification and arrest of Brenda Liliana Rivera-Estrada by ICE underscores the importance of the Criminal Alien Program and highlights the public safety efforts undertaken by officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations,» Almeida said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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Rivera Estrada remains in custody pending further court proceedings.
Fox News Digital’s Eric Mack contributed to this report.
immigration, migrant crime, mexico, illegal immigrants, arizona
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