BUDAPEST, Hungary - Peter Magyar, Hungary's incoming prime minister, arrived at the Parliament building on Saturday to be sworn into office. This moment marks the end of Viktor Orbán's autocratic 16-year rule in the country.
Magyar's center-right Tisza party achieved a significant victory against Orbán's nationalist-populist Fidesz party in the recent elections, securing more votes and seats than any other party in Hungary’s post-Communist history. With this win, Tisza gained a two-thirds parliamentary majority, enabling it to roll back many of Orbán's policies, which had led to his perception as a far-right authoritarian.
This parliamentary shift will also help tackle allegations of corruption and change the political landscape within the European Union. Orbán's administration had often disrupted EU decision-making through frequent vetoes.
On Saturday, Magyar entered the neo-Gothic parliament building flanked by 140 representatives from his party, which controls 141 of the 199 parliamentary seats. Meanwhile, Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition will hold just 52 seats, a significant reduction from 135, while the far-right Mi Hazánk party will have six seats. This is the first time since 1990 that a parliamentary session has occurred without Orbán's presence.
The new national assembly features a record 54 women lawmakers, with most of them hailing from the Tisza party, making up more than a quarter of the total representation. Magyar, a 45-year-old lawyer who founded Tisza in 2024 after serving as a member of Orbán’s party, has committed to eradicating official corruption, which he claims has deprived Hungarians of economic opportunities.
In a show of national unity, Magyar has invited citizens to a "regime-change" celebration outside Parliament to commemorate his inauguration and the conclusion of Orbán’s era. Thousands gathered outside as new representatives took their oaths, demonstrating a significant public interest in the political realignment.
Following his oath-taking, which is expected around 3 p.m. local time, Magyar will address the crowd gathered outside. One of his priorities is to mend Hungary’s strained relationships with the European Union, which had nearly reached a breaking point under Orbán's leadership. Magyar aims to restore Hungary's status among Western democracies, particularly as Orbán’s government leaned closer to Russia.
One immediate goal for Magyar's administration is unlocking approximately 17 billion euros (around $20 billion) in EU funds that had been frozen during Orbán's tenure due to concerns regarding rule of law and corruption. This funding is crucial for rejuvenating Hungary's struggling economy, which has stagnated over the past four years.
In a symbolic gesture, Tisza officials announced plans to fly the EU flag on the Parliament building's facade once again, reversing Orbán's decision to remove it in 2014. The message of re-engagement with Europe is further echoed by Budapest's liberal mayor, Gergely Karácsony, who organized a celebration party by the Danube River. He expressed gratitude to citizens who have opposed Orbán’s regime, emphasizing the need to remember those affected by his policies and the hope for a new beginning.
