European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cheered Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban‘s election loss on Sunday, a defeat that marked the end of a 16-year reign for the European Union critic.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar’s Tisza party defeated Orban’s ruling Fidesz 53% to 37% in the country’s parliamentary election. Orban called the loss “painful,” but pledged to “serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well.”