When Hungarian voters went to the polls on 12 April, Europe was watching. Not because one national election alone can solve Europe’s challenges, but because Hungary had become a symbol of something bigger: whether democratic renewal is still possible after years of polarisation, state capture and political fatigue.
The answer was clear. Péter Magyar and TISZA achieved what many had long considered impossible. They defeated Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz and gave Hungary a chance to turn back towards Europe, the rule of law and accountable government. For Hungary, this was a historic democratic moment.
TISZA did not win by copying the strategies of the extremists. It did not win by accepting that fear, anger and permanent confrontation are the only language voters understand. It won because it offered something many citizens had been missing: credibility, courage and a serious promise of renewal. At the same time, this victory marks the beginning of a new responsibility. TISZA is now entering a decisive phase in which its credibility will depend on whether it can translate this moment of change into stable and responsible governance.
This matters far beyond Budapest. Across Europe, the EPP political family and other democratic forces are under pressure from populists who claim to speak for “the people”, while weakening the safeguards that protect citizens in a democracy: independent courts, free media, checks and balances and institutions that keep power accountable.
They regularly present compromises as betrayal, European solutions as surrender, and oppositions as enemies. Hungary shows that this model can be challenged when democratic forces stand firmly on its values: freedom, responsibility, the rule of law and a Europe that supports its Member States without replacing their democratic responsibility.
In Hungary, the demand for change was not abstract. It was about inflation, low investment, public services under pressure, schools and hospitals in need of reform and corruption scandals. People voted because a political system was not delivering sufficiently for their families.
The answer to populism cannot be slogans alone. It must be competence. Responsible democratic politics must speak about security, energy, infrastructure, competitiveness and opportunity. At the same time, we must be clear about the level at which politics acts. The European Union does not replace national responsibility. It sets the framework in which Member States can deliver: through fair rules, clean use of public money, investment and cooperation where no country can succeed alone. That is also what subsidiarity means: decisions close to citizens, but joint action where Europe adds real value.
Our generations have grown up with crises that do not stop at national borders: war on our continent, energy insecurity, disinformation, economic uncertainty and pressure on democracy itself. We know that Europe is not perfect. But no European country can face these challenges better alone than together. Our task is therefore not to defend Europe as it is, but to improve it together.
That is why pro-European politics must not become distant or abstract. Orbán presented isolation as sovereignty. TISZA challenged this false choice. A country does not become stronger by standing alone, blocking common decisions or drifting closer to our systemic rivals. It becomes stronger when it has reliable partners, European opportunities and institutions that citizens can trust.
Values are not decorative words in a manifesto. They are the foundation of trust. The rule of law protects citizens from arbitrary power. Free media gives people the information they need to choose. Independent institutions make sure that public money serves the public interest. These principles are not left or right; they are democratic. And they are deeply rooted in our political family, because without them there is no freedom, no responsibility and no fair competition.
Of course, one election is not the end of the story. Rebuilding institutions takes time. Fighting corruption, strengthening public services and bringing Hungary closer to its European partners will require discipline and patience. A victory against populism must become a victory for good governance. The real test begins after election night.
This is also where young people matter. TISZA Youth, Daniel Molnár and many young people have shown how important it is to organise, to listen and to bring new energy into politics. Their work is a reminder that change is not built only on speeches or headlines. It is built by people who show up, work on the ground and are ready to take responsibility for the future of their country.
For YEPP, this is a call to action — not from the sidelines, but from the position of responsibility our political family already holds across Europe. The EPP is the strongest political family in the European Union. We lead governments, shape European decisions and carry responsibility for Europe’s future. That means we must not wait, but be present before frustration turns into anger, before polarisation becomes normal and before extremists claim to have the only answers.
Hungary has shown that change is possible even when the odds seem impossible. But the lesson is not blind optimism. Political victories matter only if they are followed by clean government, stronger institutions and better lives for citizens. That is the path our political family must continue to take. Because our answer to polarisation must always be clear: we build bridges between national responsibility and European cooperation, between today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities for the next generation!
By Sophia Kircher, President of the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP)
