{"id":63104,"date":"2026-05-09T00:10:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T00:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/63104\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T00:10:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T00:10:22","slug":"hungarys-incoming-prime-minister-plans-a-regime-change-celebration-to-mark-orbans-departure-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/63104\/","title":{"rendered":"Hungary’s Incoming Prime Minister Plans a ‘Regime-Change Celebration’ to Mark Orb\u00e1n’s Departure"},"content":{"rendered":"

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) \u2014 As incoming prime minister P\u00e9ter Magyar<\/a> takes his oath of office within the halls of Hungary’s sprawling neo-Gothic parliament on Saturday, thousands are expected to gather on a square just outside to celebrate the final moments of Viktor Orb\u00e1n<\/a> ‘s 16-year rule.<\/p>\n

Magyar’s center-right Tisza party defeated Orb\u00e1n’s nationalist-populist Fidesz in a landslide victory<\/a> last month, gaining more votes and seats in parliament than any other party in Hungary’s post-Communist history. <\/p>\n

It was an earthquake mandate that will allow Tisza to roll back many of the policies that gave Orb\u00e1n a reputation among many of his critics as a far-right authoritarian<\/a>, and to dig into the economic system which led to the spectacular enrichment<\/a> of many his allies and family members. <\/p>\n

But before his work of governing begins, Magyar has called on Hungarians to an all-day \u201cregime-change\u201d celebration on Saturday to mark his inauguration \u2014 and the end of the Orb\u00e1n era. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe will step through the gateway of regime change with a huge party. Come along, and invite your family and friends!\u201d Magyar wrote in a social media post Sunday. <\/p>\n

Magyar, a 45-year-old lawyer who formed Tisza in 2024 after spending years as an insider within Orb\u00e1n’s party, has vowed to do away with official corruption which he argues has robbed Hungarians of economic opportunity. <\/p>\n

One of his top priorities is unlocking about 17 billion euros<\/a> ($20 billion) of European Union funds for Hungary that were frozen during Orb\u00e1n’s time in office over rule-of-law and corruption concerns. That money is sorely needed to help jump-start Hungary’s struggling economy, which has stagnated for the last four years. <\/p>\n

In a sign of that commitment, Tisza officials say they will once again fly the EU flag on the parliament building’s facade, beginning on Saturday, after Orb\u00e1n’s government removed it in 2014. <\/p>\n

Despite wide jubilation over the end of Orb\u00e1n’s reign, many of the nearly 3.4 million Hungarians that voted for Tisza expect Magyar to hold Fidesz officials and their business allies accountable for the perceived misconduct of the outgoing administration.<\/p>\n

Magyar plans to form the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, an authority tasked with investigating and seeking to recover public funds misused during Orb\u00e1n\u2019s tenure. He’s also vowed to suspend the news services of Hungary’s public broadcaster \u2014 widely seen as a mouthpiece of Orb\u00e1n’s party \u2014 until objectivity can be restored. <\/p>\n

Tisza is also expected to conduct a major overhaul of much of Hungary\u2019s governmental structure, and to create separate ministries for health, environmental protection and education that did not exist under Orb\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

Magyar has said he will restore competence to Hungary’s government, and has nominated numerous officials<\/a> to cabinet positions who are internationally recognized in their fields. <\/p>\n

The incoming leader has tipped diplomat and foreign policy expert Anita Orb\u00e1n, who is not related to the outgoing prime minister, for minister of foreign affairs, former Shell executive Istv\u00e1n Kapit\u00e1ny for minister of economy and energy, and economist Andr\u00e1s K\u00e1rm\u00e1n for minister of finance.<\/p>\n

\u2018Farewell to the system\u2019\n <\/p>\n

Magyar is set to take his oath of office around 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, after which he will address the crowd outside. In an invitation to the event, he promised artistic performances and surprise guests. <\/p>\n

The liberal mayor of Hungary’s capital Budapest, Gergely Kar\u00e1csony, has also announced a \u201csystem-closing\u201d party along the Danube River, an event he said is meant to show gratitude to Hungarians who have spent years speaking out against Orb\u00e1n’s system. <\/p>\n

\u201cTeachers fired, civilians and journalists humiliated, small churches torn apart,\u201d Kar\u00e1csony wrote in a social media post. \u201cWe can finally leave this era behind us \u2014 but first, let us remember the everyday heroes and express our gratitude with a farewell to the system.\u201d <\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 The\u00a0Associated Press<\/a>. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n

Photos You Should See \u2013 April 2026<\/p>\n

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