Conservative Peter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister on Saturday.
Magyar’s center-right Tisza party defeated Viktor Orban’s right-wing populist Fidesz in a landslide last month, ending his 16-year rule.
“The Hungarian people have given us a mandate to end decades of disorientation,” Magyar said. “They have given us the mandate to open a new chapter in Hungarian history. To change not only the government, but also the system. To start again.”
Hundreds of people gathered outside Parliament to watch the swearing-in ceremony on a big screen.
What changes has Magyar promised?
Magyar’s Tisza party won 141 of 199 seats in parliament in April elections, giving it the two-thirds majority needed to change the constitution and pursue reforms.
The 45-year-old has promised to undo policies implemented under Orbán to tackle corruption and control the judiciary, media and other sectors.
He has also vowed to improve relations with the EU. Relations between the NATO member and the bloc were strained under Orban, who moved closer to Moscow and opposed EU efforts to support Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.
Magyar inherited an economy that had stagnated in the first quarter and is now coming under pressure from rising energy costs related to the war in the Middle East.
One of his first acts as prime minister will be to try to clear the blockage of billions of euros in suspended EU funding to help stimulate the economy. The money was frozen during Orbán’s tenure due to concerns about the rule of law and corruption in Hungary.
Also on Saturday, the EU flag was raised over the parliament building in Budapest for the first time since Orbán removed it in 2014.
Edited by: Carl Sexton