Goodbye, Viktor.

Your loss is Hungary's (and democracy's) win

Friends,

Today, the good people of Hungary brought to an abrupt end 16 years of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s authoritarian rule.

Nearly 78 percent of eligible voters turned out, an unequivocal mandate whose repercussions are already echoing from Budapest to the European Union, to Moscow, and to Washington.

As I wrote yesterday, Trump and Putin pulled out all the stops to help Orbán. JD Vance stumped for him in Budapest last weekend “because of the moral cooperation between our two countries” — each engaged in a “defense of Western civilization” based on their common adherence to “Christian civilization and Christian values.”

It was all rubbish. The Hungarians evidently saw through it.

Trump endorsed Orbán. Putin also did what he could. Even Benjamin Netanyahu sent a message to the annual U.S. CPAC conference in Budapest, hailing Orbán as a leader who can “protect against this rising tide” of Islamic terrorism. “Orbán means safety, security, stability.”

Today was a solid victory for democracy and a clear defeat for the forces of authoritarianism — in Hungary, in Europe, and in America.

Thank you, Hungary.