The parliamentary elections in Hungary concluded with the victory of the main opposition party, “Tisza”. The opposition won 138 seats in parliament, ending Prime Minister Orban's 16-year rule.
Péter Magyar, the leader of the victorious “Respect and Freedom Party” (Tisza) in the parliamentary elections, has now drawn attention in Europe.
Who is Péter Magyar?
According to Modern.az, Péter Magyar has worked for a long time in state administration and business-related structures. He held positions in state companies and had ties with the ruling “Fidesz” party.
Péter Magyar gained widespread recognition in early 2024 after an open conflict with the government and his harsh criticism of the country's governance system. His statements caused a great public resonance and led to a massive protest mood.
Péter Magyar was born on March 16, 1981, in Budapest, into a family considered to be the elite of Hungarian society.
His grandfather, Pál Erőss, was a judge of the Hungarian Supreme Court and a famous media personality in the country in the 1970s and 80s. He hosted the program “Legal Affairs,” which aired for years on state television. His analysis of real court cases became part of the popular culture of the time; he was recognized on the street and considered one of the country's most influential lawyers.
Peter Magyar's godfather was his grandmother's brother, Ferenc Mádl, a law professor at one of Budapest's universities. He later joined the “Fidesz” party and served as President of Hungary from 2000 to 2005.
Peter Magyar's parents were also lawyers. Therefore, it is not surprising that he studied law at university.
Before that, Magyar graduated from the elite Piarist Catholic school in central Budapest. He later stated in an interview with BBC correspondent Nick Thorpe that it was there that he first met Viktor Orban.
— The 45-year-old politician joined the “Tisza” party in 2024. This formally pro-European party was founded in October 2020 but did not participate in previous parliamentary elections.
— Peter Magyar was a member of Viktor Orban's “Fidesz” party for 12 years and is now opposing him. After the party won the elections in 2010, Magyar took a position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The following year, he moved to Hungary's permanent representation to the European Union.
— Orban's rival comes from a family that was previously in power. His relative Ferenc Mádl was also a “Fidesz” member and was elected President of Hungary in 2000 on his second attempt, remaining in office until August 2005.
— The opposition politician's surname “Magyar” means “Hungarian” in Hungarian. “Magyars” is the name this people gives themselves. Therefore, his name can be translated as “Peter Hungarian.”
— Although the leader of the “Tisza” party is at the forefront of public opinion polls and the world media writes that he could end Viktor Orban's 16-year premiership, Peter Magyar does not call himself a candidate for prime minister. He states that there is no such official status in the Hungarian constitution. However, the government is usually led by the person who is first on the party list, and currently, Magyar holds this position.
— Peter Magyar's ex-wife, the mother of his three children, Judit Varga, was the country's former Minister of Justice. They divorced shortly before Varga resigned from her position to lead the “Fidesz” campaign for the European Parliament elections. However, on February 10, Judit Varga and Hungarian President Katalin Novák resigned due to a scandal related to covering up sexual abuse incidents in a children's home.
— In February 2024, Peter Magyar announced his departure from “Fidesz,” accusing the political elite and Viktor Orban of concealing corruption and nepotism. He has since repeatedly criticized the prime minister and his close circle.
— Despite his open confrontation with Orban, Magyar once defended him. In March 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a threatening statement to Orban after Budapest blocked a loan to Kyiv. In response, Magyar stated that “no foreign leader can threaten a Hungarian citizen.” He also called on the EU to cut ties with Ukraine until Zelensky apologized.
— Although Orban is often called a pro-Russian politician, it is difficult to characterize Magyar as pro-Ukrainian. He is against providing weapons to Ukraine and the country's rapid admission to the EU. However, the “Tisza” program envisages Hungary gradually reducing its dependence on Russian oil and gas by 2035. Magyar also stated that he supports a “pragmatic” approach to Russia, meaning he advocates the principle of countries not interfering in each other's internal affairs.
A.Gorkhmaz
