Péter Magyar has been sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister, marking the end of Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power. The pro-European centre-right leader took office on Saturday, a month after his Tisza party won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections.
Speaking to tens of thousands of supporters gathered outside parliament, Magyar described the road to change as “very long and often quite bumpy”. He added: “Today, every freedom-loving person in the world wants to be a little Hungarian.”
Magyar vowed to launch a “new chapter” in the country’s history, saying: “A mandate not only to change the government, but to change the system as well. To start again.” He accused Orbán’s government of making Hungary the most corrupt country in the EU and promised to seek justice against those who had “stolen everything”.
The new prime minister called for Orbán-era appointees to resign by the end of the month, starting with President Tamás Sulyok. The crowd roared its approval. Magyar pledged to build a more inclusive Hungary, saying: “What connects us will be stronger than what divides us.”
Supporters celebrated the change. Erzsébet Medve, 68, said: “This is the first time I feel like it’s good to be Hungarian.” Marianna Szűcs, 70, expressed hope that her children, who had moved abroad, would be able to return. The EU flag was also returned to parliament after being removed by Fidesz in 2014.
Magyar, a former member of Fidesz, turned on the party in early 2024, exposing what he described as a rotten system. His Tisza party won 141 seats in the 199-seat parliament, a stunning outcome for the little-known former insider.
