Budapest, May 13 — Péter Magyar, the leader of the newly elected Tisza Party, was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Tuesday in a ceremony at the Hungarian Parliament, marking the first transfer of power in Budapest since Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party took control in 2010. The inauguration came after the Tisza Party secured a landslide victory in April’s parliamentary elections, ending eight years of opposition rule and nearly 14 years of Orbán’s dominance over Hungarian politics.
Magyar, a former academic and opposition leader, took the oath of office before President Tamás Sulyok in a brief but symbolically charged ceremony. His government’s first legislative priority will be the immediate repeal of a series of laws critics have called “anti-democratic,” including restrictions on judicial independence, media freedom and the right to protest. Among the first measures expected is the reinstatement of the Constitutional Court, which Orbán’s government had effectively sidelined in 2020 by stacking it with loyalist judges.
The transition has already triggered a diplomatic reckoning. The European Commission, which has repeatedly clashed with Orbán over rule-of-law concerns, announced on Monday that it would “monitor closely” Hungary’s compliance with EU democratic standards. A Commission spokesperson stated that “the ball is now in the new government’s court,” adding that Brussels would assess whether Budapest’s reforms align with EU values. The statement came hours after Magyar’s inauguration, signaling that the EU’s approach would be one of cautious engagement rather than immediate celebration.
In his first public remarks as prime minister, Magyar addressed the Parliament, emphasizing economic recovery and EU integration as cornerstones of his administration. “Hungary’s future lies in rebuilding trust—not just with our citizens, but with our European partners,” he said. “We will work to restore the institutions that Orbán’s government weakened, and we will do so within the framework of our constitutional obligations.” His speech included a direct reference to the 2020 constitutional amendments that critics, including the Venice Commission, had condemned as undermining checks and balances. Magyar did not specify a timeline for their reversal, but his team has indicated that legislative action will begin within weeks.
Meanwhile, Orbán’s Fidesz party, though no longer in power, has not surrendered its political influence. Former Fidesz lawmakers, now in opposition, have signaled they will use every parliamentary tool available to slow down reforms, including filibusters and legal challenges. A senior Fidesz MP, Zsolt Nagy, told reporters that the party would “defend Hungary’s sovereignty” against what he called “foreign interference” in domestic affairs—a phrase that resonates with Orbán’s long-standing rhetoric about EU overreach.
Hungary’s central bank, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, has also become a flashpoint in the transition. The bank’s governor, György Matolcsy, a close ally of Orbán, has refused to step down, despite calls from the Tisza Party to resign. Matolcsy’s tenure has been marked by controversial monetary policies, including repeated interventions in currency markets to prop up the forint—a move that economists have criticized as politically motivated. The new government has not yet taken a public stance on whether it will force his resignation, but sources close to Magyar suggest internal discussions are ongoing.
On the ground, Budapest’s political climate remains tense. Protests erupted in the capital on Monday night, with some demonstrators calling for the immediate dissolution of the National Assembly and new elections. Police dispersed the gatherings, but the incidents underscore the deep divisions in Hungarian society. A poll released by the Századvég Institute on Tuesday showed that 58% of Hungarians support the new government’s reforms, while 32% believe the changes will come too slowly. The remaining 10% expressed no confidence in the transition at all.
The European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee is scheduled to hold an emergency session on May 20 to discuss Hungary’s political shift. A draft resolution circulating among MEPs calls for “urgent measures” to ensure the new government’s commitment to democratic principles. The session will feature testimony from Magyar’s foreign minister, who has not yet been named but is expected to be announced within the next 48 hours.
The next critical test for Magyar’s government will come on May 22, when the Parliament is set to vote on a motion to lift the state of emergency declared by Orbán’s administration in 2020. The motion, if passed, would restore full civil liberties, including the right to organize public demonstrations—a right that had been severely curtailed under Fidesz rule. Legal experts warn, however, that even if the motion passes, Orbán-era restrictions on media and judicial oversight may require constitutional amendments, a process that could take months.
