Hungary’s Magyar announces ministers after landslide election win

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian election winner Péter Magyar on Monday announced the first round of his incoming government’s Cabinet members, including nominees for ministers of foreign affairs, finance and economy, following the first meeting of his party’s parliamentary group.

Magyar and his center-right Tisza party defeated Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a landslide election on April 12, securing a two-thirds majority in Hungary’s next parliament which will make it possible to undo many of the policies Orbán implemented during his 16 years in power.

The opposition leader has vowed to restore democratic institutions and the rule of law which eroded under Orbán’s rule, and to hold accountable those who he says were responsible for overseeing and benefiting from widespread official corruption.

Magyar’s party gained 141 seats out of 199 in parliament — the largest majority in Hungary’s post-Communist history. Orbán’s far-right, euroskeptic Fidesz party will control 52 seats, down from 135 before the election.

At a news conference in Budapest on Monday, Magyar, who is expected to take over as prime minister from Orbán, said the number of ministries will be increased to 16 from the current 12.

He revealed several of his party’s nominees including Anita Orbán, who is not related to the prime minister, for minister of foreign affairs, István Kapitány for minister of economy and energy and András Kármán for minister of finance.

His party, Magyar said, would create a government “that will be worthy of the Hungarian people’s trust.”

Magyar has vowed to conduct a major overhaul of much of Hungary’s governmental structure, and to create separate ministries for health, environmental protection and education that did not exist under Orbán.

The new parliament’s inaugural session will take place on May 9 or 10, Magyar said, after which it will immediately elect a prime minister. The confirmation of cabinet appointments will occur in the following days, he added.