Less than an hour may separate us from learning the results of the parliamentary elections in Hungary. On site – at the headquarters of the two main parties – journalists from TV Republika are reporting on the situation in real time. What did they say just after the polling stations closed?
On Sunday at 7 p.m., polling stations in Hungary’s parliamentary elections were closed. Those who were already in line before the official end of voting will still be able to cast their ballots. The announcement of the first partial results is expected around 8 p.m.
Journalists from TV Republika are on site.
“The commissions are starting to count the votes. Each of them has between 500 and 1,000 ballots to count. It should go quite smoothly”, said Aleksander Wierzejski on air.
As he pointed out, “the huge turnout will certainly have an impact when it comes to shifts in the electorate”, adding that “what kind of impact it will be, we will only find out once the votes are counted”.
“For Fidesz, this campaign was very difficult. It took place in an atmosphere of accusations of corruption, but also of various forms of cooperation”, he recalled, referring to the past weeks.
Rafał Stańczyk, present at the election night of TISZA, noted that “for the first time in 16 years, the opposition is close to victory”. He added, “the mood here is good. Everyone is nervously awaiting the results. If the difference is small, we may have to wait several days for the final result, as votes cast abroad will decide. If the difference is larger, we will know the result within a few hours”.
Justyna Wróblewska – reporting from in front of the Hungarian parliament – recalled that “politicians encouraged voters to cast their ballots throughout the day, publishing numerous appeals, as there is no election silence here”.
“The results that will appear around 8 p.m. will be partial results. Full results, from over 90 percent of polling stations, should appear around midnight. Unless the difference is so small that we will have to wait even several days for the final verdict”, she said on TV Republika.