Learning English from the News

Upper intermediate level

Hungary election landslide

Episode 260415 / 15 Apr 2026

(Photo by Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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The story

Péter Magyar has won a historic victory in Hungary's elections, bringing to an end Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power. Orban had been a close partner of US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Whereas Magyar wants a better relationship with the rest of the EU and Ukraine.

Almost 80% of people who could, turned out to vote, which broke records. Magyar’s Tisza party has won a huge majority, which will allow him to change both Orbán's increasingly unpopular domestic policies and Hungary’s global relationships. 

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News headlines 

Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar's Hungary election landslide
BBC News

Peter Magyar: former Fidesz insider who vowed to dismantle Orban system 'brick by brick'
France24 

MAGA absorbs the loss of Orban, a kindred spirit to Trump’s movement
The New York Times

Learn more about the news.

Key words and phrases

swept away 
removed by strong force

  • Her powerful speech swept away all doubts about her leadership skills..

brick by brick
step by step

  • After the big argument, she had to regain his trust brick by brick.

kindred spirit
someone with similar ideas or beliefs

  • He struggled to make friends growing up but he finally found a kindred spirit at university who shared his interests.

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Try Our World in English - the best documentaries from the BBC in language you can understand.

Learn more about the expression 'brick by brick' in The English We Speak.

Learn more about passive forms in Ask BBC Learning English.

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