Hungary swears in new Cabinet as Péter Magyar takes power

Hungary’s new Cabinet was sworn in on May 12, completing the formal transfer of power from the previous administration of Viktor Orbán to a new center-right government led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar.

The swearing-in of 16 ministers followed just two days of parliamentary committee hearings, underscoring Magyar’s stated intention to bring a swift end to the political system associated with Orbán’s 16-year rule, Independent reports.

Magyar’s pro-European Tisza Party secured a decisive victory over Orbán’s nationalist-populist Fidesz in last month’s election, winning both more votes and parliamentary seats than any other party in Hungary’s post-Communist history.

The result granted Tisza a two-thirds majority in parliament, enabling the new government to reverse many of the policies that critics had associated with Orbán’s increasingly illiberal governance.

Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony in parliament, Magyar said the new government would serve all Hungarians and act “as a servant of the nation and not of the prime minister,” directly contrasting his administration with that of his predecessor.

He added that his government’s task would be to repair “destruction, division, backwardness and loss of trust” accumulated over the past two decades and to rebuild Hungary as “a functioning, livable and self-reliant country.”

Tisza now holds 141 of 199 parliamentary seats, while Fidesz has been reduced to 52 seats, down from 135 before the election. The far-right Mi Hazánk party holds six seats.

Magyar’s supporters are also expecting accountability measures targeting former officials and business figures linked to the previous administration. His government has announced plans to establish a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office to investigate alleged misuse of public funds.

He has also pledged that Hungary will join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, enabling EU-level investigations into fraud and misuse of European funds.

In addition, Magyar has proposed suspending Hungary’s public broadcaster’s news services until what he described as editorial independence and objectivity are restored.

In his inauguration remarks, he again called for several of Orbán’s long-serving appointees — including the president, attorney general, media authority head, and Constitutional Court chief justice — to resign by May 31.

The new government has expanded Hungary’s cabinet structure from 12 to 16 ministries, introducing separate portfolios for health, environmental protection, and education, which were previously consolidated.

Magyar has pledged to restore democratic institutions and the rule of law, while addressing what he described as entrenched corruption within the state apparatus.

The new administration is also expected to reshape Hungary’s role within the European Union, where Orbán frequently clashed with Brussels, including by blocking key decisions on support for Ukraine.

A central priority for the new government will be unlocking approximately €17 billion in frozen EU funds, withheld over rule-of-law and corruption concerns. The funds are seen as crucial to revitalising Hungary’s stagnating economy.

In a social media post, the new foreign minister, diplomat Anita Orbán, said her ministry would focus on “bringing EU funds home” and strengthening Hungary’s position within Europe and the EU.

The cabinet also includes Minister for Economy and Energy István Kapitány, a former Shell executive, and Finance Minister András Kármán, an economist and former senior banking executive.

By Vafa Guliyeva