April 13, 2026, 2:10 p.mApril 13, 2026, 2:21 p.m
The majority of Swiss parliament members welcome Peter Magyar’s election victory over Viktor Orban in Hungary. However, the SVP representative was disappointed by the right-wing politician’s defeat after 16 years in power.
“I welcome the strength of Hungarian democracy,” said National Councilor Laurent Wehrli (FDP/VD) on Monday to the Keystone-SDA news agency. He praised the reaction of outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He has officially accepted his defeat.
The Hungarian elections were crucial for the European Union, which suffered from the Orban government’s numerous blockades. Wehrli commented that the population had clearly spoken out in favor of the EU.
“Decisive progress”
The Hungarian government has become increasingly anti-European, but at the same time has benefited from Europe, said Geneva National Councilor Laurence Fehlmann-Rielle (SP). She was also happy about Orban’s defeat. Peter Magyar may be conservative, but one can expect him to be loyal to the EU and fight corruption, she added.
National Councilor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter (centre/BL) also expressed her great relief at the outcome of the election. “The election will strengthen the European continent and the EU, especially in security policy issues,” she said.
Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter: “Election will strengthen the European continent.”Image: keystone
For Switzerland, which faces major security policy challenges, cooperation with a stable Europe is crucial. Hungary’s population sent a strong signal with the election.
According to Schneider-Schneiter’s assessment, Hungary will no longer remain on the sidelines in the EU in terms of strengthening and stabilization. “The election of opposition leader Peter Magyar is groundbreaking for the entire continent, and it refutes the statement that Europe is losing unity.”
It is particularly pleasing that Magyar’s Tisza party belongs to the family of centrist parties, the European People’s Party (EPP). This is the largest center-right group in the European Parliament.
SVP representative is skeptical
The Zurich SVP National Councilor Martin Haab, on the other hand – he belongs to the Switzerland-Hungary friendship group of the federal councils – would have preferred if Orban had remained in power. Orban was a good counterpart to the rest of Europe.
SVP National Councilor Martin Haab is disappointed after Orban was voted out.Image: keystone
Budapest is now the safest city in Europe, and Orban has kept the Schengen external borders closed to asylum seekers. Many people in Hungary were satisfied with Orban’s policies, but now the decision has been different.
Now we have to wait and see how the parliament and the Magyar government approach the matter. “I don’t know whether Hungary will now adopt the Larifari of the rest of Europe,” said Haab.
Haab also has doubts as to whether Magyar, as a former Fidesz member, is the right person to lead Hungary. It is not clear to him whether Magyar no longer agreed with the course of Orban’s party or whether he turned his back on it for personal reasons after separating from former Justice Minister Judit Varga. (cma/sda)