By Adrian Zuckerman
Having served as the United States Ambassador to Romania, I have seen firsthand how fragile and how resilient democracy can be in Central and Eastern Europe. I worked daily with leaders, civil society, and ordinary citizens who understood that free institutions are never guaranteed and that foreign influence, corruption, and disinformation thrive when democratic norms weaken. That experience gives special meaning to Hungary’s recent election and makes its result impossible to ignore.
With the victory of Peter Magyar and the Tisza movement, the Hungarian people have delivered a powerful message not only to their own leaders, but to Europe, America, and Moscow itself: democracy still matters, and voters are willing to defend it.
