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By Open Chronicle with agencies
Péter Magyar was officially sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister on Saturday, ending 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán following a decisive electoral victory in April.
Magyar’s Tisza Party secured 141 seats in the 199-seat National Assembly, giving the party a commanding parliamentary majority.
The outgoing Fidesz won 44 seats, while the KDNP secured eight and Mi Hazánk obtained six.
Magyar’s appointment was confirmed during the inaugural parliamentary session with 140 votes in favor, 54 against, and one abstention.
BREAKING:
Peter Magyar just took office as Prime Minister of Hungary after being sworn in.
He’s now giving his inauguration speech in parliament pic.twitter.com/Kh6QWNtwbv
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 9, 2026
‘A New Chapter’ for Hungary
After taking the oath of office, Magyar declared that Hungarian voters had delivered a mandate not only to replace the government but to transform the political system itself.
“I will not rule over Hungary, I will serve my homeland,” Magyar told parliament.
He also emphasized the need for political reconciliation and accountability after years of deep national divisions.
“There can be no new beginning without reconciliation, and no reconciliation without justice,” he said.
In one of the strongest moments of his speech, Magyar called on senior officials associated with the previous administration to resign by May 31.
Among those specifically named was Tamás Sulyok.
“In the house of Hungarian democracy, I call on those holders of high public office who were the servants of the previous system to resign today, or by 31 May at the latest,” Magyar said.
Orbán Absent From Historic Session
In a major break from Hungarian political tradition, Viktor Orbán did not attend the inaugural parliamentary session and delivered no farewell speech.
The absence marked a symbolic end to one of the longest-serving political eras in modern Hungarian history.
Orbán had dominated Hungarian politics since returning to power in 2010 and became one of Europe’s most influential nationalist leaders during his tenure.
Parliament Moves Quickly on Transition
The new National Assembly also elected Ágnes Forsthoffer as Speaker of Parliament.
One of her first announced actions was the restoration of the European Union flag on the Hungarian parliament building after roughly 12 years of absence.
The decision was widely interpreted as a symbolic shift toward closer ties with the European Union after years of tension between Budapest and Brussels under Orbán’s government.
Political observers noted that Magyar’s rapid confirmation as prime minister represented another significant departure from Hungarian political tradition, where several days would typically pass between the inaugural session and the appointment of a new government.
Celebration in Budapest
The Tisza Party organized a large public gathering described as a “system-changing people’s festival” to celebrate the transition of power.
By early afternoon, crowds had filled Kossuth Square outside the parliament building.
Supporters waved Hungarian and European Union flags while celebrating what many viewed as the beginning of a new political era.
The swift transition is expected to allow the new administration to begin implementing policy reforms and restructuring state institutions more quickly than previous governments.
Magyar now faces the challenge of uniting a politically polarized country while managing Hungary’s economy, relations with the European Union, and the broader geopolitical tensions shaping Central Europe.