BUDAPEST
The media empire built by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government, a key pillar of the nationalist leader’s 16 years in power, is swiftly unravelling following an election last month that abruptly ended his rule.
Within weeks of the vote, which the centre-right opposition led by Peter Magyar won with a landslide, senior figures at some of the most prominent pro-Orban outlets have been pushed out and a flagship news programme was scrapped.
The tone of public service media changed overnight, with more opposition voices appearing even before Magyar formally took power, while pro-Orban influencers have practically disappeared from social media.
These are the first cracks in Orban’s tightly controlled media system that is set to undergo a shake-up under the new government, sworn in earlier this week.
Magyar, who called public service media a factory of lies, has pledged to restore press freedom, create a new media law and a new media authority.
Veteran nationalist Orban was celebrated by conservatives in Europe and the U.S. as the mastermind of an illiberal democracy, but voters grew weary of allegations of corruption and economic stagnation.
In the April 12 election, Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party ended Orban’s 16-year rule and gained a two-thirds majority in parliament needed to undo Orban’s constitutional overhaul.
Leaders of the European Union are closely watching Hungary as a test case for restoring democratic checks and balances – media freedom was one of the key rule-of-law issues over which Orban’s government often clashed with Brussels.
Under Orban, state media came under increasing government control as new media laws were enacted, and several private outlets were either shut down or taken over by pro-government businessmen.
Hungary fell to 74th place in 2026 from 23rd in 2010 in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index. Orban’s government denied exerting pressure on the media and said it met EU standards on media freedom.