Hungary’s election winner, Peter ​Magyar, said on 15th April that his cabinet could be in office by mid-May and take swift action to free up billions of European Union funds put on hold, but is pitted against allies of ‌ his predecessor who are staying in office.

Magyar’s TISZA (Respect and Freedom) party has been handed a clear mandate in Sunday’s election to replace right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule that served as an inspiration for “illiberal” conservative leaders in the western world.

Orban’s overseas backers, including Russia and the United States, have vowed to cooperate with Magyar, who will be able to amend the constitution and repeal Orban’s reforms of rule-of-law institutions that caused the EU to withhold funds.

Magyar gave specific examples of how his new government could quickly address four areas to prevent the loss of ​some 10 billion euros of EU pandemic recovery money by August 31.

These include measures against corruption, such as acceding to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, ensuring and strengthening the independence of the judiciary and ​probe offices, and restoring freedoms in the media and academia.

MAGYAR TALKS EU CONDITIONS BEFORE END OF AUGUST

“As they say in Brussels, full stop,” Magyar said, citing a phone call he had on Tuesday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, noting that they had agreed to commence informal talks even before the government was formed.

“And I explained it to her, too, and we have said before, that we can only accept conditions that are good for the Hungarian people, for Hungarian businesses and, overall, for Hungary.”

It was not clear whether Magyar was seeking to limit the conditions ahead of a time frame he has called “very short”. A European Commission spokesman was not immediately available.

Orban has said his government did not weaken any democratic institutions and sought to defend Hungary’s “Christian character” against liberal ideas put forward by the European Union.

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, who is supported by Orban’s Fidesz party, told Magyar on Wednesday he would request that he form the next Hungarian government, while Magyar stepped up his call for the president, who was ​elected in 2024, to resign.

“I told the President …. that Hungarian people have voted for a change of regime,” Magyar said. Sulyok told him during a meeting – Magyar said it was otherwise cordial – that he would “consider” ​the request, he said.

Magyar said if Sulyok refused to quit, his party’s strong mandate would be used to change the constitution and other laws and to push Sulyok and other “puppets” – people in key positions appointed by the Orban government – out of their positions.

The ‌exchange offered the first taste of what analysts and ratings agencies say could be a complex reform agenda in spite of Magyar’s overwhelming election win, with Orban’s loyalists in charge of most key public offices for years to come.

NEW PM TAKES ON NEWS ANCHORS

Appearing on public media for the first time in 18 months, Magyar went head-to-head with news anchors he blamed for favouring Orban’s “dictatorship” for years while failing to cover his Fidesz party in an objective way.

Magyar called his interview on public TV, the first in 18 months, “the final throes of a factory of lies” in a Facebook statement. Representatives for public media broadcaster MTVA did not have an immediate response to a request for comment.

In a raft of measures to restore press freedoms after he takes office next ​month, Magyar said he would halt state media.

“Every Hungarian has the right to a professional public media, which tells the truth,” Magyar told Kossuth state radio, which Orban was a regular guest on, while opposition politicians were not.

“It will take a little bit of time [to adopt a new media law, ​a new media authority, and to create the professional circumstances for state media to do its work properly].”

‘PRESS FREEDOM PREDATOR’

Reporters without Borders, ​an international press freedom body headquartered in France, has welcomed the election of Magyar as it offers an “unprecedented opportunity” to free the media from the stranglehold of “press freedom predator” Orban.

However, the organisation urged Magyar to be cautious and ensure any changes relating to press freedom and independence of public service media are made in line with EU law.

Orban’s critics said he oversaw the demise of independent media, with scores of media outlets critical of Orban sold in recent years.

The Central European Press and Media Foundation ⁠conglomerate set up by ​Orban loyalists in 2018 has over 400 outlets, including Echo TV and Hir TV, news sites and local newspapers.

Unravelling ​that may prove difficult. Pro-European Polish President Donald Tusk’s government shut down Poland’s public news TV channel TVP Info after its election in late 2023 and replaced state media executives to restore impartiality.

Polish public media was liquidated, ​but still exists, after the former nationalist president, who was close to Tusk’s political opponents, blocked government plans to spend money on public media.