French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday called for efforts toward a more “sovereign Europe” following Hungary’s parliamentary election, congratulating opposition leader Péter Magyar on his victory over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
“I just spoke with Péter Magyar to congratulate him on his victory in Hungary!” Macron posted on X.
He said France welcomed “the victory of democratic participation” and “the Hungarian people’s commitment to European Union values.”
“Let us move forward together towards a more sovereign Europe, for the security of our continent, our competitiveness, and our democracy.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot commented: “The Hungarian people have decided to put an end to a power that, at the expense of European sovereignty, has gone astray by dismantling the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, spreading disinformation, and colluding with Russia.”
During his time in office, Orbán has been accused of building a semi-authoritarian system, curbing media and judicial independence, cracking down on LGBTQ rights, steering the country into conflict with the European Union and aligning it more closely with Russia.