NUMEROUS CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR NEW GOVERNMENT

SARAJEVO, APRIL 13 /SRNA/ – Parliamentary elections in Hungary represent a significant political turning point, and further developments will depend on the new government’s ability to maintain political stability while meeting voters' expectations, BiH Ambassador to Hungary Biljana Gutić-Bjelica told SRNA.

She has assessed that the new government faces numerous challenges, including the functioning of institutions and the complexity of implementing the announced reforms. "Internationally, it is expected that the new authorities could initiate certain adjustments in foreign policy, particularly toward intensifying cooperation with EU institutions," Gutić-Bjelica said. This could, she emphasizes, potentially lead to easing previous tensions and creating room for unblocking certain financial mechanisms, as well as changes in broader geopolitical positioning, including relations with other international stakeholders. She noted that the elections indicated significant changes in the structure of the political system, primarily reflected in the weakening of traditional opposition stakeholders and the consolidation of the political space around a new political entity. "In this way, political competition has largely been reduced to a relationship between two dominant options, which could have long-term implications for the dynamics of political life in the country," Gutić-Bjelica stressed. She recalled that the opposition Tisza party won 138 out of a total of 199 parliamentary seats, securing a two-thirds majority and relatively broad freedom in terms of institutional and legislative reforms. "The previous ruling coalition Fidesz–KDNP, headed by Viktor Orbán, won around 54 seats, marking the end of its long-standing dominance in the political arena, although it has retained significant parliamentary representation," Gutić-Bjelica said. She added that the Mi Hazánk movement won seven seats, or 5.9 percent of the vote, the Democratic Coalition 1.2 percent, and the Two-Tailed Dog Party 0.8 percent, while other political entities remained below the electoral threshold or without significant parliamentary influence. She pointed out that voter turnout was around 80 percent, one of the highest levels in Hungary's recent political history. Gutić Bjelica highlighted that the political rise of Tisza leader Peter Magyar represents a specific phenomenon, given his relatively short political career at the national level and the fact that he was previously associated with ruling structures. "His approach, which combines elements of a conservative orientation with a strong emphasis on institutional reforms and a different attitude toward European integration, has enabled him to attract a broad spectrum of voters, including those who previously supported the government as well as the traditional opposition," Gutić-Bjelica explained.