According to analyst Gergely Rajnai, the two most important short and medium-term challenges for the new government are the Russian-Ukrainian war and the inflation crisis.Continue reading
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s fifth government was formed as its fourteen ministers took their oaths of office in parliament on Tuesday.
Before the oath-taking, a transcript of President Katalin Novák’s formal appointment of the ministers was read out.
According to the transcript, János Csák heads a new cultural and innovation ministry, Gergely Gulyás the prime minister’s office, János Lázár is in charge of the new ministry of construction and investment. István Nagy stays on as minister of agriculture, while former deputy central bank governor Márton Nagy is minister without portfolio for economic development.
Former European commissioner Tibor Navracsics will serve as minister for regional development and the utilisation of EU funds, László Palkovics heads the ministry of technology and industry. Sándor Pintér stays on as interior minister, Antal Rogán remains in charge of the cabinet office, and Zsolt Semjén will serve as minister responsible for policies for Hungarian communities abroad and policies for national minorities and church relations as well as church diplomacy.
Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky is the new defence minister, Péter Szijjártó continues as minister of foreign affairs and trade, Judit Varga stays on as justice minister, and Mihály Varga continues as finance minister.
Under Hungary’s constitution, the government is formed by the appointment of ministers, who are appointed by the president at the recommendation of the prime minister.
Lawmakers re-elected Orbán as prime minister on May 16.
Featured photo: In the front row, Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office (Left), Antal Rogán, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office (L2), Judit Varga, Minister of Justice (L3), Sándor Pintér, Minister of Interior (L4), János Csák, Minister of Culture and Innovation (L5), János Lázár, Minister for Construction and Investment (L6, covered) and Márton Nagy, Minister for Economic Development (Right) sign the oath of office at the swearing-in ceremony of the members of the fifth Orbán government at the plenary session of the National Assembly in 2022. 24 May 2022. Photo by Zoltán Máthé/MTI