Conservative politician Peter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday after his center‑right Tisza party won a decisive victory in April’s parliamentary election, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16‑year rule.
Magyar, 45, leads a party that secured 141 of parliament’s 199 seats — a two‑thirds majority that would allow constitutional changes and rapid reforms. Speaking after the ceremony he said Hungarians had given his government a mandate to stop “decades of drifting” and to open “a new chapter” by not only changing the government but the system itself.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Budapest parliament building to watch the swearing‑in on large screens. One visible sign of the shift in power was the EU flag raised over the parliament for the first time since it was removed in 2014.
Magyar has pledged to tackle corruption and to roll back policies enacted under Orbán that critics say put the judiciary, the media and other institutions under political control. He has also vowed to repair strained relations with the European Union; Orbán’s government had moved closer to Moscow and frequently opposed EU measures to support Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
Economically, Magyar inherits a country just emerging from stagnation and now facing pressure from rising energy costs linked to the war in the Middle East. One of his immediate priorities will be trying to unblock billions of euros in EU funding that was suspended during Orbán’s tenure over concerns about the rule of law and corruption — money that could help revive growth.
Magyar’s overwhelming parliamentary majority gives him the tools to enact wide‑ranging changes, but he faces significant challenges: restoring institutional independence, winning back suspended EU funds, managing economic headwinds and rebuilding trust with international partners. How quickly and effectively his government moves on those fronts will shape Hungary’s direction after more than a decade of Orbán’s dominance.
Edited by: Karl Sexton