If Hungary Can Do It
Viktor Orbán offered a model for antidemocratic rule, one admired by Donald Trump and other world leaders. What does his stunning loss after 16 years in power mean?
April 16, 2026
28 min
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354 of 364
Episode 179 · April 16, 2026
If Hungary Can Do It
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The Atlantic Episodes Around April 16, 2026
Episode 354 of 364 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
28:44This episodeIf Hungary Can Do It
Summary
Whatever happens next in Hungary, Viktor Orbán’s stunning downfall contains obvious warnings for MAGA and Donald Trump: Propaganda has its limits. Concerns about affordability are real. True democracy can reassert itself in a single election. Reality can bend only so far.
The Hungarian journalist Veronika Munk of the news outlet Denník N shares her view from the streets of Budapest. And the Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum, who covers autocracy, democracy, and Europe, explains why the election is a turning point for world politics.
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