Authoritarian leader Viktor Orbán suffered a crushing defeat in the Hungarian elections, losing to pro-European reformist Péter Magyar.
How did Orbán become a figurehead for the global populist right, and an inspiration to Maga figures such as JD Vance? How did the opposition manage to unseat Orbán’s government? And what are the implications for Hungary, Europe, Ukraine, Russia and democracies around the world?
Prospect’s Benjamin Clark speaks to Michael Ignatieff, academic and former Canadian politician. Ignatieff led the Central European University, which was in Budapest—until the Orbán government declared war on the institution...
Ignatieff calls in from Hungary to discuss the feeling on the ground, and the implications further afield—including for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
To read Ignatieff’s essay on Hungary for our latest issue, click here.
This video was recorded on 13th April 2026
