Péter Magyar announced his incoming government’s first Cabinet members on Monday in Budapest, following his center-right Tisza party’s landslide election victory over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Magyar secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority with 141 of 199 seats, positioning his party to reverse much of Orbán’s 16-year governance.
The landslide marks Hungary’s most significant political realignment in post-Communist history, with Magyar vowing to restore democratic institutions and the rule of law that he says eroded under Orbán, and to hold accountable those responsible for widespread official corruption.
Péter Magyar announced the first members of his incoming government on Monday in Budapest, selecting ministers for foreign affairs, finance and economy following his center-right Tisza party’s decisive victory over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Magyar’s Tisza party captured 141 of 199 parliamentary seats in the April 12 election, securing a two-thirds supermajority — the largest in Hungary’s post-Communist history. Orbán’s far-right Fidesz party, which had held 135 seats, will control just 52 going forward, ending the prime minister’s 16-year dominance of Hungarian politics.
Cabinet Positions and Ministry Restructuring
The nominees announced Monday include Anita Orbán for foreign affairs, István Kapitány for economy and energy, and András Kármán for finance. Orbán is not related to the outgoing prime minister. Magyar said the number of ministries will be increased to 16 from the current 12, with plans to establish separate departments for health, environmental protection and education.
His party, Magyar said, would create a government “that will be worthy of the Hungarian people’s trust.”
Parliamentary Session and Timeline
The transition will proceed rapidly. The new parliament’s inaugural session is scheduled for May 9 or 10, Magyar said, after which lawmakers will immediately elect a prime minister. Cabinet confirmation votes are expected in the following days.
Democratic and Institutional Overhaul
Magyar has pledged to restore democratic institutions and the rule of law that he says deteriorated during Orbán’s tenure, and to pursue accountability for those he describes as having overseen and benefited from widespread official corruption. The two-thirds majority gives Magyar the constitutional authority to amend Hungary’s legal framework without opposition support, removing one of the primary obstacles to the institutional changes he has promised.