Outgoing Hungarian FM to keep parliamentary seat after stepping down

Prefer on Google by Sonya Bandouil Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto attends the 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia on June 15, 2023. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Hungary’s outgoing Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto will retain a seat in the country’s new parliament, Fidesz officials reported on April 27. Fidesz faction leader Gergely Gulyas said Szijjarto would remain part of the party’s parliamentary bloc as Hungary prepares for a new legislative term, according to Hungarian outlet Telex. The April 12 vote saw outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz -KDNP coalition reduced to 52 seats in the 199-member National Assembly after losing power to opposition leader Peter Magyar and his Tisza party, which secured a commanding majority. Szijjarto, one of Orban’s closest allies and Hungary’s foreign minister for over a decade, has drawn criticism for his pro-Russian positions and repeated opposition to EU support for Ukraine. Previously leaked phone recordings reportedly showed Szijjarto sharing details of closed-door EU foreign ministers’ meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and offering assistance in easing sanctions on Moscow. Magyar has accused Szijjarto of destroying documents related to Hungary’s sanctions policy in the aftermath of Fidesz’s election defeat, though the foreign minister has denied serving Russian interests. The allegations have added to long-standing scrutiny over Budapest’s close ties with the Kremlin and Hungary’s repeated efforts to soften EU measures against Russia. Orban announced on April 25 that he would give up his own parliamentary mandate after 36 years in the legislature, though he said he intends to remain leader of Fidesz if re-elected by the party congress.