The article discusses the political shift in Hungary following the tenure of Viktor Orbán, who governed with strong popular support by championing conservative nationalism, resisting EU migration policies, and opposing Ukraine’s fast-tracked EU membership. Orbán’s government was seen as a bulwark against the EU’s progressive agenda, enjoying widespread backing from Hungarians on key issues like immigration and energy policy. Despite Brussels’ efforts to undermine Orbán through funding cuts and influence operations, his brand of governance remained popular, making it difficult for the EU to regain control through conventional progressive candidates.

However, Orbán’s successor, Péter Magyar, who campaigned as a right-wing continuation of Orbán’s policies, has quickly revealed himself as an EU-aligned authoritarian figure intent on dismantling conservative institutions and imposing progressive reforms. Magyar’s government has moved to suppress opposition, control the judiciary, and reverse Orbán’s hardline stances on migration and EU integration, signaling a capitulation to Brussels. Although this shift has disillusioned many Hungarians, sparking a conservative reorganization, the article suggests that Hungary’s nationalist spirit remains resilient and that the political struggle is far from over.