Peter Magyar is elected as Hungary’s Prime Minister: New chief thanks voters as he defeats Trump ally Viktor Orbán after 16 years in energy
- This story is developing, more to follow
Hungarian leader Viktor Orban has conceded defeat to his rival Peter Magyar, after he was defeated in national elections.
Magyar, the 45-year-old upstart politician, took to Facebook tonight and revealed that Orban, the Trump ally who has held an iron grip over Hungary for 16 years, ‘congratulated us on our victory over the phone.’
Magyar added: ‘Thank you Hungary!’
Orban said in a speech to his supported that he has conceded, telling them: ‘The result of the election is clear and painful.’
He added: ‘We don’t have the weight of governing the country so we have to rebuild our communities.
‘We never give up, this is one thing people know about us, we never give up. The days ahead of us are for us to heal our wounds.’
As Hungarians went to polling stations across the nation from 6am local time this morning, Magyar said the election was a ‘referendum’ on whether the country continues to drift towards Russia‘s sphere of influence.
He bluntly said shortly after casting his own vote that the election was ‘a choice between East or West, propaganda or honest public discourse, corruption or clean public life.’
He added: ‘I urge all Hungarian citizens to exercise their right to vote.’
More to follow.
