BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� said Thursday that his populist-nationalist Fidesz party will require a 鈥渃omplete renewal鈥� following its on Sunday which brought an end to Orb谩n’s 16 years in power.
The earthquake election delivered a powerful two-thirds majority in Hungary’s Parliament to Orb谩n’s center-right opponent, the Tisza party led by . The scope of the loss led to speculation on whether Orb谩n would resign his role as his party’s president, a position he’s held almost without interruption since the early 1990s.
In an interview with a pro-Orb谩n YouTube channel on Thursday, Orb谩n said that 鈥渁 political era has ended,鈥� but suggested he would not step aside and was already at work picking up the pieces within his party.
鈥淚t is more than having to change one position or two. We are in a situation where, in its former form, the right-wing community cannot continue to exist. A complete renewal is required,鈥� he said.
Sunday’s election was a stunning blow for Orb谩n 鈥� a close ally of both U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin 鈥� who conceded defeat after what he called a .
Magyar, a former Orb谩n loyalist who campaigned against corruption and on everyday issues like health care and public transport, has pledged to rebuild Hungary鈥檚 relationships with the European Union and NATO 鈥� ties that frayed under Orb谩n.
Magyar has pushed for the transfer of power to occur as quickly as possible following the election. Following a private consultation with Hungary’s president on Wednesday, he he’d been assured that the inaugural session of the new Parliament, where he is likely to be elected prime minister, would probably be scheduled for May 6 or 7.
In his Thursday interview, Orb谩n said the night of the election had sent him on an 鈥渆motional roller coaster,鈥� and that after the loss, he’d felt “pain and emptiness.鈥�
鈥淚 too thought that we were going to win. There were so many of us everywhere,” he said.
Still, he said, his party retains a major base of support in Hungary since nearly 2.4 million people cast votes for Fidesz in the country of 9.5 million.
鈥淟et鈥檚 not act like the whole country rejected our government,鈥� he said.
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