Politico: PM-elect Magyar eyes revival of Austro-Hungarian influence

Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar plans to strengthen ties with Austria and other Central European countries to expand his influence in Brussels.

The incoming Hungarian leader aims to revive Central Europe’s geopolitical weight by drawing on its imperial past, Politico reports.

He has indicated that he intends to deepen relations with neighbouring states—particularly Austria—by leveraging strong economic ties and a shared history rooted in the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the late 19th century.

“We used to share a country, and Austria is a key economic partner of Hungary,” Magyar said after his victory over Viktor Orbán in the Hungarian election earlier this month. “I would like to strengthen the relationship between Hungary and Austria for historical but also for cultural and economic reasons,” Magyar said.

Politico notes that Magyar has already outlined his vision for a new regional alliance. He proposed merging the Visegrád Group—an informal bloc comprising Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia—with the Slavkov format, a cooperation framework involving Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

“I believe this is in the interest of every country, including Austria and Hungary,” Magyar said. “So I hope that we will be able to make progress here.”

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov