Hungary’s new chapter: Péter Magyar takes the helm as prime minister

In a watershed moment for Hungarian democracy, Péter Magyar was sworn in yesterday as the country’s new Prime Minister, capping a stunning landslide victory that ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year dominance.

His centre-right Tisza Party secured a commanding supermajority of 141 seats in the 199-seat National Assembly in the 12 April parliamentary elections, ushering in what many are calling a “new era” for Hungary.

Budapest night of liberation: tens of thousands celebrate as Péter Magyar’s Tisza party ends Orbán’s 16-year rule

The 45-year-old former Fidesz insider turned fierce critic campaigned on anti-corruption reforms, economic revival, and a pragmatic reset with the European Union – promises that resonated with voters amid record turnout and widespread frustration with entrenched governance issues. Orbán conceded defeat swiftly, describing the results as “painful but clear.”

On Saturday, Budapest erupted in jubilant celebrations as Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister, marking the end of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule. Thousands gathered along the Danube near the neo-Gothic Parliament building for an all-day “regime-change” festival filled with artistic performances, music (including Roma rhythms), laser shows, waving Hungarian and EU flags, and energetic dancing by newly elected officials – including orthopedic surgeon and incoming Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs, whose air-guitar moves on the steps went viral.

The new government of Hungary after inauguration.
Never been so cool to be Hungarian. pic.twitter.com/9B4f1P6opA
— SzabadonMagyarul 🇬🇧🇭🇺🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@SzabadonMagyar) May 9, 2026

In a powerful symbolic gesture signalling a return to pro-European policies, the EU flag was raised again on the Parliament’s facade for the first time since Orbán’s government removed it in 2014. The new parliamentary speaker, Ágnes Forsthoffer, ordered its return alongside Hungarian and Székely flags, prompting lawmakers to sing the EU anthem “Ode to Joy.” This act underscored Tisza’s promises of stronger EU ties, anti-corruption reforms, and renewed Western alignment after years of tension.

Magyar addressed the crowds, declaring that Parliament now belonged to the people and that he would “serve, not rule,” capturing the hopeful, festive atmosphere of a historic political shift.

A conservative reset with Europe

Fresh off his inauguration, Prime Minister Magyar is prioritizing outreach to Brussels to repair strained ties and unlock billions in frozen EU funds withheld during the Orbán era over rule-of-law concerns. He has already held constructive talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU leaders as prime minister-elect, signalling that “EU resources will soon arrive in Hungary.” Further engagements are expected imminently as his government works to meet reform deadlines and restore access to roughly €18 billion in cohesion and recovery funds critical for Hungary’s economy.

Yet, as Magyar himself embodies, this is no wholesale pivot toward unchecked alignment with Brussels. A self-described conservative rooted in centre-right values, he leads a party affiliated with the European People’s Party (EPP) that champions Hungarian sovereignty, traditional family policies, and measured European integration. Analysts note that while Tisza is committed to democratic norms and ending the previous government’s isolationist standoffs, Budapest under Magyar is unlikely to automatically echo every EU priority – particularly on issues like migration, fiscal autonomy, or foreign policy nuances.

According to the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Ukraine remains a key dividing line between Budapest and Brussels. While most Hungarians expect the new government to improve ties with Kyiv (64%) and approve EU financial aid for Ukraine (69%) — widely viewed as essential for unlocking Hungary’s frozen funds — broader support is limited. A majority opposes opening EU accession talks for Ukraine (54% vs 27% support), financial assistance draws only 24% support (63% oppose), and military aid is backed by just 12% (77% oppose).This creates two immediate challenges for Magyar: aligning lukewarm public opinion with EU expectations to release cohesion funds, and delivering on his campaign promise of a binding referendum on Ukraine’s EU membership — a vote that risks entrenching a Hungarian “no,” even though Tisza voters are more divided (50% support Ukraine’s eventual membership in principle, vs 37% opposed).

What lies ahead

Magyar’s supermajority gives him the constitutional tools to enact sweeping changes: overhauling judicial and media laws, pursuing accountability for alleged graft, and jumpstarting stagnant growth. His victory speech and early moves emphasize humility and service over rule, with crowds celebrating a return to pro-EU symbols and optimism in the streets.

This milestone does not erase Hungary’s deep political divides, nor does it guarantee frictionless harmony in Brussels. But it signals a conservative-led government ready to negotiate in good faith – prioritising national interests while mending fences. For a nation long defined by its outsider status in the EU, Péter Magyar’s premiership offers a measured bridge: engagement without surrender, reform without revolution.

Caption: A picture taken with a drone shows an aerial view of supporters of the ruling Tisza Party celebrate in front of the parliament building after the swearing-in of party leader Peter Magyar as Prime Minister during the inaugural session of the new National Assembly in Budapest, Hungary, 09 May 2026. Magyar was elected by 140 votes in favour and 54 votes against, with one abstention in the 199-member parliament. EPA/Zsolt Czegledi