BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister will not take his seat in parliament following a landslide election loss this month, and will instead focus on rebuilding his nationalist-populist political community, he announced Saturday in a video on social media.
Hungary’s April 12 election brought an end to Orb谩n’s 16 years in power when voters cast their ballots overwhelmingly for a center-right challenger who promised to crack down on endemic corruption and restore Hungary’s democratic institutions that had been eroded under Orb谩n.
That challenger, the Tisza party led by Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister , won a two-thirds majority in parliament that will allow it to undo many of Orb谩n’s policies.
Since the election, the long-serving prime minister鈥檚 future role in Hungarian political life, and whether he will retain a role in government, has been uncertain.
But in a video posted to Facebook, Orb谩n said his party鈥檚 caucus in parliament would be 鈥渞adically transformed鈥� following the election loss, and that he would not take his seat.
鈥淥ur task now is not in parliament,鈥� Orb谩n said, but in the 鈥渞eorganization鈥� of his political camp that he calls the 鈥渘ational side.鈥�
鈥淚 have led our community for nearly four decades,鈥� Orb谩n said. 鈥淭his camp has always been the most united and cohesive political community in Hungary.鈥�
Magyar has vowed to restore democratic institutions and the rule of law, which eroded under Orb谩n鈥檚 rule, and to hold accountable those who he says were responsible for overseeing and benefiting from widespread official corruption.
When the new parliament forms on May 9, it will be the first time since Hungary鈥檚 transition from state socialism in 1990 that Orb谩n has not held a seat among lawmakers.
In his statement, Orb谩n suggested he would remain the president of his Fidesz party after the party鈥檚 congress convenes in June to elect its leader.
Magyar鈥檚 party gained 141 seats out of 199 in parliament, the largest majority in Hungary鈥檚 post-Communist history. Orb谩n鈥檚 far-right, eurosceptic Fidesz party will control 52 seats, down from 135 before the election.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
