Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar said he will suspend state media news broadcasts and overhaul press laws after his party secured a large parliamentary majority, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule.

Magyar’s Tisza party won a two-thirds majority in Sunday’s election, giving it the power to amend the constitution and dismantle structures built under the previous government. Speaking on state radio, Magyar said public media must serve citizens rather than political interests.

“Every Hungarian deserves a public service media that broadcasts the truth,” he said.

Magyar said his government would pause news output from state broadcasters until a new legal framework is in place. He plans to introduce a new media law, create a new regulatory authority and set conditions for what he described as independent and impartial journalism.

“We have just witnessed the last days of a propaganda machine,” he wrote on social media after appearing on state television. “We will suspend the news services of the ‘public’ media until its public service character is restored.”

His remarks followed a tense exchange during a live interview on national television, his first appearance on the platform in 18 months. The discussion ended with interruptions and disputes between Magyar and the presenter, who rejected claims that the broadcaster had spread false information about his family during the campaign.

“In this studio, it has been said several times that my minor children do not speak to me,” Magyar said. “While they live with me.”

He accused the broadcaster of operating as a “factory of lies” and compared its output to “North Korean-style” propaganda. The presenter denied wrongdoing and said the organisation had not broken any laws.

State media authorities have said they invited Magyar and his party to appear during the campaign. Critics of the system, both inside Hungary and abroad, have argued that opposition figures had limited access while government voices dominated coverage.

Under Orbán, a network of outlets aligned with the government expanded through acquisitions and mergers. The Central European Press and Media Foundation, formed by allies of the former prime minister, brought together more than 400 outlets, including television channels, newspapers and online platforms.

Orbán has rejected accusations that he weakened democratic standards. He has said his policies aimed to defend Hungary’s identity and values against external influence. His government also denied that media plurality had been reduced.

HT