Viktor Orbán’s era is over. But what does it mean for Europe, Ukraine, and the global populist right led by the MAGA movement?
In this episode of On The Record, Adam Jasser speaks with Hungarian businessman and media owner Zoltán Varga about what he calls a “real regime change” in Hungary after years of Orbán’s rule. Varga argues that Orbán’s defeat sends a powerful signal far beyond Budapest: “the king is naked.” Voters in Hungary rejected a government that undermined democracy while making people poorer – Varga underlines this may happen in other countries as well and Europe may see it from Slovakia and Poland to France. Orbán’s defeat is also a message for MAGA and Donald Trump – the Hungarian media mogul warns.
Varga says the new government is likely to support Ukraine far more strongly than the previous administration, while still insisting on protections for Hungarian minorities living in Ukraine. Zoltán Varga also addresses the uncertain future of Tisza, the broad anti-Orbán political coalition that united different strands of the opposition. Will it remain united, or eventually split into new conservative, liberal, and nationalist movements? Varga argues that prosperity, rule of law, and democratic institutions ultimately matter more to voters than political slogans: because citizens “vote with their feet.”
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
00:01 – Political change in Hungary after the end of Orbán’s rule
00:22 – The new government and its declared shift toward EU alignment
02:10 – Media environment and state-funded communication policies
05:20 – Key challenges and expectations for the new government
07:09 – Hungary’s position on Ukraine and its EU integration
12:34 – Role of foreign investments and regulatory framework
15:36 – Political implications for the wider European landscape
17:19 – Impact on regional political dynamics
18:28 – Risks related to concentration of power
22:05 – Media and foreign investment
22:46 – Discussion on potential sale of Polish TV broadcaster TVN
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