Péter Magyar has been sworn in as prime minister of Hungary, marking the official end of Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power. The pro-European centre-right leader received a standing ovation in parliament during the ceremony on Saturday, which he had invited people to join to "write Hungarian history" together and "step through the gate of regime change."
The swearing-in comes a month after Magyar's opposition Tisza party won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections, sparking jubilation in Budapest and beyond. Orbán and his populist, nationalist movement had long been held up by the global far right as an example to emulate.
Magyar's Address to Supporters
Speaking to tens of thousands of supporters gathered outside parliament, Magyar described the road to change as "very long and often quite bumpy." But he added that Hungarians could finally rejoice. "Today, every freedom-loving person in the world wants to be a little Hungarian," he said to roaring applause. "You have taught the country and the world that it is the most ordinary, flesh-and-blood people that can defeat the most vicious tyranny."
Earlier, he told parliament that Hungarians had given his party a mandate to launch a "new chapter" in the country's history. "A mandate not only to change the government, but to change the system as well. To start again."
Pledge to Fight Corruption
Under Orbán's watch, Magyar said, Hungary had become the most corrupt country in the EU. "Orbán's associates and the elite have a long way to go until they are confronted with what they have done," he vowed, promising that his government would seek justice against those who, even in the last hours, were trying to "steal everything." He reiterated calls for Orbán-era appointees to resign by the end of the month, starting with President Tamás Sulyok, who had nominated him moments earlier. The crowd outside roared approval.
Vision for a More Inclusive Hungary
Magyar pledged to build a more inclusive Hungary, one that would be more free, humane, and hopeful than under Orbán's populist nationalist movement. "What connects us will be stronger than what divides us," he said. "Hungary will be home for every Hungarian, and everyone can feel like they have a place in the Hungarian nation. Family, friends, and communities will be able to speak to each other again."
Public Reaction
Early on Saturday, people poured into the square outside the neo-Gothic parliament to follow the inaugural session on large screens. At each glimpse of Magyar, the crowd cheered, while some booed lawmakers from Fidesz and the extreme right Our Homeland party. Many had travelled hours to be there. Erzsébet Medve, 68, from Miskolc, said, "This is the first time I feel like it's good to be Hungarian. I feel like I could cry." As a school teacher, she had long watched in frustration as Orbán's government left the education system deprived of funds. Marianna Szűcs, 70, said she hoped Hungary would become more livable, adding, "Now we feel like our children and grandchildren have a future here." The crowd cheered wildly as the newly elected speaker of the house, Ágnes Forsthoffer, announced that the EU flag would be returned to the building after being taken down by Fidesz in 2014.
Magyar's Rise and Orbán's Exit
The landslide victory, in which Tisza won 141 seats in the 199-seat parliament, was stunning for Magyar, a former little-known member of Fidesz's elite. He burst into public view in early 2024 after turning on the party, exposing its inner workings as rotten and accusing officials of expanding power and wealth at the expense of ordinary Hungarians. The new parliament marks the first time since 1990 that Orbán, 62, will not sit in parliament. He said he would focus on reorganising his movement. Magyar, 45, has vowed to use his large majority to undo Orbán's systems, which stacked the judiciary, media, and state with loyalists.
EU Relations and Symbolic Changes
Magyar has vowed to rebuild Hungary's strained relationship with the EU and unlock billions in frozen funds. Hints of this change were symbolically laced into Saturday's ceremony: anthems paid tribute to Hungary's EU membership, its Roma minority, and ethnic Hungarians in neighbouring countries. Vilmos Kátai-Németh became the country's first visually impaired minister, taking on social and family affairs. More than a quarter of lawmakers are women, a record high in post-communist history. The swearing-in took place on Europe Day, commemorating the proposal that gave rise to the modern EU. Incoming foreign minister Anita Orbán said, "The message is clear: Hungary's place is in Europe. Naturally, firmly, and without question."
Challenges Ahead
The task facing Magyar is huge. Promises to fix crumbling public services will confront a stagnating economy and high budget deficit. It remains to be seen how Orbán loyalists in media, academia, and the judiciary will react. Even so, the mood in Budapest was celebratory. At a Tisza booth, crowds lined up to buy party merchandise, while others waved Hungarian flags. Budapest's liberal mayor Gergely Karácsony called on Hungarians to mark the end of Fidesz's grip on power and hail those who stood up to the system. "Teachers fired, civilians and journalists humiliated, small churches torn apart," he wrote. "We can finally leave this era behind us – but first, let us remember the everyday heroes and express our gratitude with a farewell to the system."
