Hungarians voted Orban out in historic fashion — but what does that concretely mean for the Balkans, and for Macedonia? Orban's fall isn't just a Hungarian story. It's a junction on a network stretching from Belgrade through Skopje to Moscow.

Orban was Putin's proxy in Europe — blocking sanctions, refusing Ukraine aid, protecting leaders who suited him. His 55-to-138 seat defeat makes it plain there is no room for if and but. Millions of Hungarians rejected a man who was clearly stealing from them shamelessly, as commentators write.

The Macedonian dimension

SDSM reads this as a defeat for VMRO-DPMNE too: left without their only EU ally. Filipce claims there is no longer a Gruevski crisis in Budapest. This will be a strong warning for the ruling power.

But is it really? Mickoski doesn't lose Orban as a friend — he loses him as a shield in Brussels. The only EU leader who systematically blocked decisions and provided diplomatic cover. Fidesz is part of the EPP — the same family as VMRO-DPMNE — but its priority was always Europe, not the Balkans.

The democratic world needs to reckon with politicians who served as Orban's proxies in the Western Balkans, analysts write. The question is whether they will reckon with them — or just carry on with business as usual.