Hungary Prepares For End Of Orbán Era Amid Celebration And Controversy (Worthy News In-Depth)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary prepared Thursday for what supporters called the “end of the Orbán regime,” with thousands expected to gather in Budapest to celebrate ahead of the swearing-in of incoming Prime Minister Péter Magyar.

The celebrations come after longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his center-right Fidesz party suffered their biggest election defeat since Hungary’s first democratic elections in 1990, following decades of communist rule.

Orbán, 62, is due to be replaced Saturday by the 45-year-old Magyar, whose center-right Tisza Party secured a two-thirds majority in Hungary’s 199-seat parliament.

Yet even before officially taking office, Magyar faced controversy after nominating his brother-in-law, Márton Melléthei-Barna, for justice minister — prompting criticism from opponents and concerns over possible conflicts of interest.

JUSTICE MINISTER CONTROVERSY

Late Thursday, Melléthei-Barna announced he would withdraw from consideration to avoid even the appearance of favoritism and “to prevent giving additional ammunition” to the outgoing Fidesz party.

“His family relationship with the prime minister does not help build social consensus behind justice and the rule of law,” he explained in a lengthy public statement.

Melléthei-Barna stressed there was “an unprecedented social consensus” in favor of restoring the rule of law after what critics described as years of corruption and political favoritism under Orbán.

“An unprecedented number of people, 3.3 million, voted for change in the election,” he wrote. “Since then, hundreds of thousands have sided with the change of regime.”

He recalled joining Magyar shortly after the politician’s breakthrough February 2024 interview with independent outlet Partizán, saying he helped organize the early movement and later handled much of the legal work surrounding the takeover of the Tisza Party and its successful campaigns in European Parliament and local elections.

FAMILY TIES RAISE QUESTIONS

Melléthei-Barna acknowledged his personal relationship with Magyar had complicated matters.

He explained that after reconnecting in 2024 with Magyar’s sister, whom he had known for years, the relationship evolved into marriage and the birth of a child.

“My nomination for the position of minister of justice was a huge honor and was not at all about family relations that had existed for only half a year or friendships spanning decades,” he wrote.

However, he concluded that the relationship with the incoming prime minister could undermine public trust at a time when the new government says it wants to restore faith in democratic institutions.

Magyar later thanked him publicly on Facebook for “his commitment to the country, regime change and the TISZA community,” adding that a new candidate for justice minister would be announced Friday.

MELONI MEETING DRAWS ATTENTION

The political transition unfolded as Magyar visited Italy and met Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

According to officials, Magyar and Meloni agreed on the need for stricter migration policies and supported accelerating European Union membership for several Western Balkan nations.

Those countries include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia, which could potentially join the EU around 2029, with Bosnia possibly following in 2030.

The meeting also attracted attention because Magyar brought along his youngest son and posed for photographs together with Meloni, reinforcing his image as a family-oriented politician.

END OF AN ERA

Magyar also welcomed the disappearance of several television programs viewed by supporters as propaganda platforms for Orbán’s outgoing government.

Those broadcasts had accused him and other opposition figures of alleged sexual misconduct and other improprieties.

Following reports the programs would be canceled, Magyar posted smiling photographs of himself on social media while holding a banana, a gesture widely interpreted by supporters as mocking the outgoing political establishment.

On Friday evening, supporters are expected to gather in Budapest for celebrations branded as an “end-of-the-Orbán-regime” event.

On Saturday, Magyar will officially be sworn in during the first session of the new parliament, while thousands of supporters are expected to assemble outside the parliament building.

IMAGE OF CHANGE

Observers also noted Magyar’s continued efforts to portray himself as different from the political elite associated with Orbán.

He has repeatedly emphasized that he travels commercially, often flying with Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air rather than using private jets.

That message resonated at a time when reports circulated that private aircraft linked to people close to Orbán had allegedly been used to move assets abroad before the transfer of power.

The dramatic political transition marks the biggest shift in Hungarian politics in more than a decade and is expected to reshape relations between Budapest and the European Union, while raising questions over how quickly Magyar can deliver on promises of reform, transparency, and national unity.

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