Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
Hungarian election winner and presumed next prime minister Péter Magyar has outlined his policy platform at a three-hour long press conference with Hungarian and international media (18:24).
He pledged to restore constructive relations with the European Union, even despite some potential conflicting views on key issues such as Ukraine, Russia and migration policy.
He said he wanted the government to be in place by early May as he insisted the voters gave him a mandate “not just for a change of government, but a change of the regime” after 16 years of Orbán’s rule (14:20).
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What Péter Magyar thinks about ...
Jakub Krupa and Flora Garamvolgyi
at Péter Magyar’s press conference
THE EUROPEAN UNION
He wants to bring Hungary back to the main fold of EU politics after years of confrontation under Viktor Orbán (14:20, 14:34). He expects some disagreements with the bloc, but he would always seek a compromise.
But he remains critical of the EU’s institutions, bureaucracy, and migration policy from conservative positions, and wants it to be a union of sovereign state rather than a federal body (16:11).
He wants to go to Poland, Austria and Brussels as his first three foreign visits as prime minister.
He is open to Hungary joining the eurozone and wants to consider setting a date for it (15:48). He would welcome the UK back in the EU (15:56).
UKRAINE
He does not support Ukraine’s fast-track accession to the EU and would put it to a referendum. He does not think this would happen in the next decade.
He supports the December proposal on the EU’s €90bn loan, which features an opt-out for Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia (15:30).
He wants to protect the rights of Hungarian minorities in Ukraine. He considers Ukraine the victim in the war with Russia.
RUSSIA
He wants to have pragmatic relations with Russia (15:47) as Hungary “cannot change geography” and existing ties on energy. He wants to diversify energy supplies to decrease the country’s dependence on any single source.
He wants Russia to end its war against Ukraine, but does not expect Putin to listen to his advice. If the war ends, however, we wants to lift sanctions on Russia “immediately” (15:17, 15:39).
But he thinks Russia is a security risk that Europe should be wary of (16:14).
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
He wants to have good relations with the US and is open to engaging with Donald Trump despite the US administration’s involvement in the campaign – but pointedly said he wouldn’t call him first, just like with Putin (15:53).
He says he does not want to fund further US conservative events in Hungary.
RULE OF LAW
He says his government will radically reform state institutions as the electorate voted “not just for change of government, but of regime,” but he pledged to stop short of restoring the rule of law through unlawful measures (16:55).
He wants several high-profile officials to resign from public offices, including the country’s president Tamás Sulyok, a close Orbán ally (14:49, 14:52).
He wants to introduce a retrospective two-term limit for prime ministers, which could effectively bar Viktor Orbán from every taking the post ever again (14:56).
ECONOMY
He says the country has been “devastated” and “looted” by the previous government and requires a fundamental reform (14:15).
He wants to unblock €19bn frozen EU funds for Hungary as a priority (13:24).
He refuses to contribute to the €90bn aid package to Ukraine as he says Hungary cannot afford to take any more loans and needs to resolve the issue of EU funds first (15:30).
ABORTION
He says the issue is settled and he does not intend to change the current consensus, which requires pregnant women to have to listen to the fetus’s heartbeat before they can access the procedure. Emergency contraception pills are not available without prescription in contrast with most EU countries (16:59).
LGBT RIGHTS
His says that “everyone can live with whoever they love as long as they do not violate laws of harm others.” What that means in practice, remains to be seen. He supports the right to assembly, which appeared to suggest his openness to future LGBT events in Hungary (16:59).
MIGRATION
He criticises the EU’s handling of the migration crisis and says EU aid should focus on countries of origin. He wants to pursue a restrictive migration policy domestically (16:11).
PRESS FREEDOM
He says he is committed to media transparency and holding regular press conferences, with a 3-hour media briefing today to show for it already on the first day after the election (16:01).
He wants to suspend the current state TV and radio broadcaster, introducing new safeguards to ensure unbiased coverage (16:42).
TRANSPARENCY AND CORRUPTION
He wants to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and step up fight against corruption and cronyism in public institutions. He plans to review public spending and cut funds to institutions captured by the Orbán government (14:15).
