The congratulations began before Péter Magyar even reached the stage. Macron called. Rutte called. Merz called. Von der Leyen called. By the time Hungary's next prime minister appeared before his supporters on Sunday night, half of Europe's leadership had already welcomed him home. [1]

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set the tone on X: "Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger." [2] At Monday's press conference, she sharpened the line to a phrase designed for the front pages: "Today, Europe is Hungarian." [1]

The chorus was bipartisan in its enthusiasm. Manfred Weber, head of the EPP parliamentary group, declared "Hungary is back at the heart of Europe." Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez offered the succinct "Today Europe wins." Polish PM Donald Tusk, who knows something about defeating an illiberal incumbent, went furthest: "Back together! Glorious victory, dear friends!" [2]

The subtext in every statement was the same man nobody named directly. Viktor Orbán had spent months vilifying von der Leyen throughout the campaign, casting her as the face of a Brussels determined to crush Hungarian sovereignty. [1] That she now stood at a podium calling the day "Hungarian" was the kind of institutional revenge that the EU delivers with a smile and a press statement.

Brussels was never more generous than when it was gloating.

-- HENDRIK VAN DER BERG, Brussels