Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a right wing political figure, conceded defeat on April 12th to Péter Magyar, ending a 16 year regime that was seen as corrupt. Because of their Hungarian citizenship, parents of South students Mihály and Johanna Réthelyi and Peter Kovacs were able to cast their votes for this election in Chicago.

Mihály said “Orbán was friends with the Russians and Trump, which is not so great,” and that “The education and the healthcare system was in bad shape.”

Johanna agreed that Orbán was really corrupt. “We all drove to Chicago so they could vote. So I think they took it seriously.”  

 “I think this is the biggest direction since the regime change in the ‘90s and there was a lot at risk,” Mihály said. 

The nearest international voting booth is in Chicago, so it’s more than just a political commitment, it’s also a time commitment. In this case, it becomes a question of how important and impactful this election is, but when it comes to a corrupt government, every vote, even overseas, counts so people are willing to make the drive.

Kovacs felt his parents were on the same wavelength as the Réthelyis, saying, “They felt strongly about voting. They believed it was an important and positive way to make a difference.”

All three students agreed that the election could have gone either way. “Both parties said that they were going to win but the more independent researchers said that the new party was going to win,” Mihály said. “I believed them so I wasn’t too surprised.”

Mihály is optimistic about Magyar. “I think he’s going to be a great leader and he’s strong mentally,” he said. “He’s a bit arrogant in a good way. Without that he couldn’t have started his party and gone for the election.”

Kovacs agreed. “Based on what I’ve heard, he seems promising. I’m excited to see what he does.”