However, while part of the country celebrated the end of a 16-year era, a completely different process began in the background—a swift and quiet withdrawal of capital and people who built their wealth during that period.
According to foreign media reports, private jets linked to individuals from the outgoing government's circle have already been taking off in large numbers from nearby airports. At the same time, certain individuals are rapidly redirecting their assets abroad.
Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates are mentioned as destinations for capital flight, along with more distant locations such as Australia and Singapore, reports the British Guardian.
Magyar calls for urgent arrests
Incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar, whose party Tisza convincingly won the elections, warns that a systematic attempt is underway to protect suspiciously acquired assets from potential investigations.
According to him, "oligarchs connected to Orbán are currently transferring tens of billions of forints." He has therefore issued a dramatic appeal to the prosecutor's office, police, and tax authorities to react immediately, prevent departures, and detain suspects while it is still possible.
Magyar claims that some families from influential Fidesz circles have already left the country, withdrawing their children from schools and hastily organizing permanent departures. Investigative journalists in Hungary report that key figures from Orbán's party are trying to protect their assets from freezing, seizure, or even nationalization that the new government might impose.
Analysts warn that the process of recovering illegally obtained public funds could take years, and corrupt individuals within the state apparatus itself could offer additional resistance to the new government.
"Destruction of evidence" and the American dream for Fidesz
The new prime minister described Hungary under Orbán's rule as a "devastated, betrayed, indebted, and ruined" country, adding that it had become one of the most corrupt members of the European Union.
Magyar specifically warns about reports coming from ministries and related institutions regarding the mass destruction of documentation in the weeks leading up to the change of government. The outgoing government categorically denies these accusations. The foreign minister dismissed claims of document destruction as "nonsensical and exaggerated," asserting that it only involves the destruction of duplicate paper copies of documents already preserved in electronic form.
Viktor Orbán's office has not commented on these allegations for now. Orbán has announced that he will not accept a parliamentary mandate but intends to remain at the helm of the Fidesz party to lead its "renewal" process.
Parallel to the internal upheavals, part of the political and business elite is reportedly seeking refuge in the United States. Individuals connected to Fidesz are already exploring options for obtaining work visas and employment in institutions close to the Republican MAGA movement.
The long-standing political rapprochement between Orbán's government and Donald Trump's administration has apparently created a network that could now serve as a safe haven for the top echelons of Hungarian politics. Orbán himself is expected to travel to the US soon, where he plans to spend several weeks. His family already has established connections there, as his daughter and son-in-law reportedly moved to New York last year, according to media reports.