Hungary’s Fidesz party is facing an existential crisis following its dramatic defeat in the country’s April elections, in which Péter Magyar’s Tisza party unseated Viktor Orbán after 16 years of governing with a supermajority.
Having been a key driver of Hungary’s democratic transition at the end of the 1980s and then a vehicle for Orbán’s nationalist, eurosceptic transformation of the country since 2010, Fidesz has since struggled to adapt to Hungary’s new political reality.
Tisza commands nearly 70% support in opinion polls, while Fidesz’s own rating has fallen below 20%. Several leading figures have left politics altogether since the defeat, and a series of corruption investigations has further eroded the party’s standing.
According to a source with close knowledge of the party’s internal affairs, Fidesz is now considering difficult paths forward, among them reorganisation, rebranding without Orbán, or complete dissolution.
Orbán weighs his options
Shortly after the election defeat, Orbán resigned his seat in Hungary’s National Assembly, ending 36 years of parliamentary service. The party nonetheless re-elected him as its president in May, tasking him with charting a new direction.
In August, an internal questionnaire was leaked to the Hungarian press, in which members were asked about the reasons for the defeat and possible ways forward. The options ranged from a complete overhaul and renewal of the party to launching a new right-wing movement – or dissolving Fidesz altogether and founding a new conservative party with fresh personnel.
A source with close knowledge of the party’s internal affairs told Euronews that the mood has calmed since the election and there is no immediate emergency – but that dissolution remains on the table.
“The future of the party is not decided yet; we’ve postponed the decision on whether it’s worth continuing for a couple of months,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The question remains open, and one option is the ending.”
But party spokesperson Bertalan Havasi, a longtime Orbán ally, dismissed the idea of self-liquidation as unrealistic.
“I personally find it unimaginable that Fidesz should not exist, and should not exist as Fidesz,” Havasi told Euronews. “I would consider it the greatest madness to rebrand and discard the Fidesz name and its accumulated expertise simply because we lost an election.”
Political analyst Szabolcs Dull said the internal poll shows that all options remain open.
“The fact that Fidesz is raising the possibility of its own dissolution matters, because it shows this is among the leadership’s scenarios – and Orbán himself has spoken in movement-like terms,” Dull told Euronews.
In July, Orbán published a document titled a “resistance declaration”, calling on supporters to fight what he described as the dismantling of the rule of law and democracy under Magyar’s government. He had earlier reshuffled the Fidesz parliamentary group, bringing in several former political influencers.
Over the summer, former transport minister and Orbán ally János Lázár visited party offices in the constituencies to assess the damage. After completing the review, Lázár resigned his parliamentary mandate and withdrew from public life, signalling that he is seeking new challenges.
Departures expose erosion
Lázár’s exit is the latest in a string of departures by senior party figures. Orbán himself has stepped back from frontline politics by leaving parliament, thus avoiding direct confrontation with Magyar.
In July, the Fidesz parliamentary group leader and former cabinet minister, Gergely Gulyás, resigned his position, citing a new constitutional amendment that bars him from standing in the 2030 election.
Former foreign minister Péter Szijjártó left politics the same month to join Chinese carmaker BYD, while former communications chief and ex-minister Antal Rogán also withdrew from public life.
“Each departure can be explained by the individual politician’s circumstances. But all of these moves work against Fidesz’s interests,” Dull said.
Even so, according to the party source, there was a degree of relief among Fidesz members at some of the departures.
Szijjártó’s reputation had been damaged by his close ties to Russia, while Lázár faced criticism for remarks widely considered racist towards the Roma community during the campaign. Both men amassed significant wealth while in government.
Havasi argued the departures would accelerate the party’s regeneration.
“If everyone has been missing the pace and agility of renewal, then once the previous generation of politicians leaves, new ones will naturally take their place. That, in itself, could be a form of renewal,” he said.
Over the summer, former rural development minister Tibor Navracsics and former government commissioner for space exploration Orsolya Ferenc launched a platform within Fidesz called “Civic Democrats”, calling for greater dialogue with voters.
The initiative was widely seen as a signal of a possible party split aimed at forming a more moderate conservative force, though both politicians denied any such ambition.
Orbán or no Orbán
Within Fidesz, Orbán’s future is a subject of ongoing debate. The party has denied speculation that the former prime minister might pursue an international position at the United Nations or FIFA.
While Orbán has spent a lengthy holiday in the United States, Serbia and Croatia, he also faces scrutiny within his own party over the election campaign and the enrichment of his inner circle during his years in power.
His son-in-law, István Tiborc, has become a major player in Hungary’s property and tourism sectors; his father, Győző Orbán, secured state contracts for his mining company and invested in a large luxury estate near Budapest, in Hatvanpuszta, and his childhood friend Lőrinc Mészáros became Hungary’s richest man on the back of substantial government contracts in construction and agriculture.
According to the party source, Fidesz members have yet to receive satisfactory answers from Orbán on the corruption allegations.
“Orbán hasn’t said anything reassuring about the corruption issues. He doesn’t want to – or doesn’t – understand the criticism. There are many lessons to be learned,” the source said.
Dull noted that Magyar’s Tisza party benefited politically from the visible enrichment of Orbán’s circle, raising questions over Orbán’s political future.
“They must discuss what role Hatvanpuszta, István Tiborc, Lőrinc Mészáros and others played in the election defeat, and clarify whether those figures, including Orbán, can be part of the party’s renewal, or whether they will be a burden on it,” he said.
Havasi said Orbán will remain party leader until next May, when his political future will be discussed.
“We will hold another party congress next May, where we will assess whether he wants to continue in politics, whether he wants to remain party chairman, what he can offer the party and what he can offer Hungary.”
“We will give him this year – and ourselves as well,” Havasi said, adding that Fidesz’s immediate task is to prepare for government and to challenge Tisza as the main opposition force.
“Fidesz is doing well and knows its job.”
Patriots for Europe unfazed
So far, Fidesz’s electoral defeat and internal turmoil have had no discernible impact on its standing in Brussels, where the party remains a founding member of the hard-right, eurosceptic Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament.
Fidesz politicians have received messages of support and solidarity from the group, and MEP Kinga Gál’s position as First Vice-Chair of the Patriots remains unchanged, owing to her experience in the European Parliament’s operations.
“I know some of your colleagues think we Patriots are considering reducing Fidesz’s role after the events in Hungary, but I can assure you this is not the case. On the contrary, there is a feeling of solidarity with the fight Fidesz will now put up,” Flemish far-right MEP Gerolf Annemans told Euronews.
While Orbán retains the support of Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini, the possible rise of Jordan Bardella in France could prove a different matter for Fidesz, given the National Rally president’s more moderate positioning.
For now, however, Fidesz and Orbán face no criticism from within the party family.
Still, Patriots for Europe has lost a seat on the European Council, where Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš now represents the group following Orbán’s defeat.
“By losing his power and voting rights at the European Council, Orbán is now significantly weaker among the Patriots,” Dull said.
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