Forsthoffer becomes second female speaker in Hungary since 1989

Ágnes Forsthoffer has been elected Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament following a closed vote during the inaugural session, securing 193 votes in favour and just two against.

After taking the oath of office, Forsthoffer assumed control of the session from Fidesz lawmaker István Vitányi, who had presided over proceedings as the oldest member of parliament at 73 until the election of house officers, as per Hungarian media.

Forsthoffer, a vice chairman of the Tisza party, won her seat in Veszprém County’s second constituency in the April 12 general election. She becomes only the second woman to serve as Speaker since Hungary’s transition from a communist state to a free-market democracy in 1989. The first was Katalin Szili of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), who held the role from 2002 to 2009.

In her address following the vote and swearing-in, Forsthoffer announced that her first decision as Speaker would be to restore the European Union flag to the Parliament Building for the first time in 12 years, effective immediately. The announcement drew loud cheers from crowds watching the session on large outdoor screens, according to state news agency MTI.

In her inaugural speech, Forsthoffer emphasised the role of parliament as a representative institution, stating that the Parliament Building must once again serve the Hungarian nation rather than function as a center of power. “It must be a sanctuary for the nation’s will, a house of humility, service, and the resolve to act,” she declared.

She also signalled a shift in parliamentary management, calling for a new approach to running the institution. In an apparent criticism of her predecessor, László Kövér, Forsthoffer said that maintaining order should not be used to limit political expression or contribute to isolation within parliament.

By Tamilla Hasanova