Péter Magyar, the leader of the Tisza party and Hungary’s Prime Minister-elect, is wasting no time in his effort to reverse the financial isolation imposed on Budapest by the European Union.
Following a landslide electoral victory that ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure, Magyar traveled to Brussels to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He emerged from the talks declaring them 'constructive' and expressing confidence that billions of euros in frozen EU resources will soon be released to Hungary.
The funds, which include over €10 billion in Covid-19 recovery money and billions more in cohesion funds, were previously withheld due to EU allegations of corruption and rule-of-law violations under the Fidesz government.
Magyar’s administration now faces the daunting task of meeting strict EU 'super-milestones'—including anti-corruption reforms and judicial independence requirements—before critical deadlines expire.
With a two-thirds super-majority in the National Assembly, Magyar possesses the legislative power to push these reforms through, signaling a sharp departure from Orbán’s confrontational stance toward the bloc.
Beyond the immediate financial recovery, the incoming leader is also moving to mend fences with Kyiv, planning a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky to reset relations that had soured under his predecessor.
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