JD Vance defends campaign backing of ‘great guy’ Orbán after landslide defeat
JD Vance Defends Support for Orbán Amid Opposition Victory
US Vice President JD Vance has defended his decision to campaign for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just days before the opposition party Tisza secured a decisive win. Despite Orbán’s removal from power, Vance maintained that his involvement was justified, highlighting the prime minister’s ability to challenge bureaucratic norms in Brussels.
During a Fox News appearance, Vance described Orbán as a “remarkable individual” who had “delivered solid results” and praised his stance against EU administrative delays. While acknowledging Orbán’s loss, he expressed confidence that the US would “maintain a productive partnership” with the new administration.
Magyar’s Leadership and Immediate Goals
Péter Magyar, the leader of Tisza, criticized Vance’s intervention but recognized the US as a “key NATO ally” and promised to engage with them if contacted. Magyar will assume the role of interim leader until his formal inauguration, with parliamentary leaders set to meet President Tamás Sulyok on Wednesday to discuss the next steps.
Sulyok, who will organize Hungary’s new parliament and recommend a successor prime minister by 12 May, has resisted calls to resign, insisting he will remain in charge while negotiating the timing of the National Assembly’s convening. Magyar, however, has urged swift action, suggesting his government could take power as early as 5 May.
State Media and EU Reforms
Magyar emphasized his commitment to ensuring impartiality in state media, vowing to suspend coverage until it can guarantee unbiased reporting. He proposed establishing a board to safeguard independence, drawing parallels to the BBC’s model.
He also outlined plans to tackle corruption, including the creation of an Anti-Corruption Office and a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office. Magyar criticized Orbán’s era as one where “billions vanished” through state contracts and judicial inequities, aiming to restore Hungary’s reputation as a European Union member.
EU Funding and Ukraine Aid
Magyar pledged to unlock frozen EU funds, which totaled €17 billion, and secure additional €16 billion in defense loans. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged discussions with Magyar, stating there was “urgent work to be done to restore the rule of law and realign with European values.”
EU leaders are also pressing Hungary to reverse Orbán’s veto on €90 billion in Ukraine aid. Magyar dismissed the veto’s significance, noting Hungary had joined three nations in withholding the funding last December. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met Magyar in Munich earlier this year, stressed the need for “rapid disbursement” of the aid following the political shift.
“No foreign country may interfere in Hungarian elections,” Magyar had warned prior to the victory. “But the US is a strong NATO partner, and I’d welcome their input.”
Magyar’s party, having won a supermajority of 137 seats, now faces the task of reshaping Hungary’s political landscape. His early agenda includes addressing corruption, reviving EU financial support, and asserting democratic principles in a country previously labeled as the “most corrupt” in the bloc.
