Key facts
- Viktor Orban was re-elected as leader of the Fidesz party.
- Orban stated he would not give up and that Fidesz needs to adapt.
- Fidesz lost power in the April 12 election to the Tisza party.
- Polls show Fidesz support has fallen significantly since the election.
Viktor Orban has been re-elected as the leader of Hungary's Fidesz party, despite the party's loss of power in the April 12 election to the centre-right Tisza party. Orban, who has inspired right-wing conservatives across Europe and the United States, secured re-election with 729 out of 737 delegate votes at the party congress, facing no challengers.
In a speech before the vote, Orban declared, "I do not give up, I never, never, never, never, never give up," while taking responsibility for the election defeat. He stated that Fidesz, which governed for 16 years, needs to undergo changes to become a functional opposition party ready to govern again.
The Tisza party, led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar, won a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the April election, enabling them to reverse Orban's constitutional changes. Opinion polls indicate a continued decline in Fidesz's support, with a May survey showing Tisza with 55% backing, up from its election result, while Fidesz support fell to 17%, down from 39%.