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Much has been made of this past Sunday’s defeat of Viktor Orban, the self-described “illiberal” prime minister of Hungary. He leaves behind a legacy of corruption and a stagnant economy.

But who is Peter Magyar, the man elected to take Orban’s place?

In this week’s episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, political scientist Zsolt Enyedi tells us the story of Magyar’s rise to power.

Formerly a civil servant working within Orban’s Fidesz party, Magyar made headlines in 2024 when he came forward about a scandal within the government involving his own ex-wife. This pulled back the curtain on the extensive corruption within the government and galvanized support for the opposition to Fidesz.

Enyedi explains that although Magyar is a center-right figure, his victory signals Hungarians’ desire for a liberal democratic government. It also means major changes not only for Hungary, but also for the European Union.

You can listen to The Conversation Weekly on our website, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Katie Flood

Audio Producer, The Conversation Weekly Podcast + Local Editor, TCUS

ZUMA Press Inc/Alamy

​Who is Hungary’s Péter Magyar and how he overturned Viktor Orbán’s illiberal democracy

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Hungarian political scientist Zsolt Enyedi speaks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about how Viktor Orbán lost power to Péter Magyar and what the result means for the European Union.

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