Celebrating the Inauguration of Peter Magyar: democracy in action, a reason for cautious optimism, and an inspiration for us all…
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Lucky Mister Frank
As fate would have it, I just happened to be in Budapest on Saturday May 9, 2026 where and when I was gifted the privilege of adding my face and voice to the sea of humanity gathered to celebrate the inauguration of the Tisza Party and Peter Magyar as the new Prime Minister of Hungary.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Hungarians before the stately Parliament building was quite the moving experience, especially when the massive assembly broke out in song and clapped in unison. Naturally, I enthusiastically clapped and hummed along as best I could given my almost non-existent Hungarian.
Indulge me now as I share some first-hand impressions and images of the event and as well as some thoughts regarding the hopefully positive consequences of this change in government… not just for Hungary, but for Ukraine, Europe, and the wider world.
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A Quick Lesson on Hungarian Names and Pronunciations
It’s a bit off-topic, but before getting into the heavy aspects of this post, there are three things regarding Hungarian name conventions and phonics that you might find interesting:
- The name “Peter Magyar” literally means “Peter Hungarian”. What better name for the PM of Hungary!
- Although the world wide press refers to him as Peter Magyar, it’s customary in Hungary to give your family name first. And so, Peter Magyar is properly presented as Magyar Peter.
- While the Hungarian alphabet nominally uses the twenty-six letters from the Roman alphabet, some of these letters are combined or modified for a total of 44 letters. For example, the é and e in Péter are different vowels with different pronunciations while the “gy” in Magyar is considered a letter in its own right, with a particularly tricky pronunciation.
Let’s put all the above together: Peter Magyar (Pee-ter Mag-yar) is just an Anglicized version of Magyar Péter (Mawdyor Payter with a soft D and lightly rolled Rs) demonstrated by Frank as follows…
By the way, when in Budapest I often introduce myself as Péter Ferenc (Payter Ferents), sometimes just for fun, sometimes seriously.
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Thumbnail Summary of the 2026 Parliamentary Election
The Parliamentary Election (held 12 April 2026) to elect the National Assembly of Hungary is potentially one of the most consequential elections in modern European history. In summary, the center-right Tisza Party (*), led by Péter Magyar (Magyar Péter) won in a landslide over the far-right Fidesz Party, led by the incumbent prime minister Viktor Orbán (Orbán-Viktor). who had been in power for sixteen straight years (four terms). But the biggest news is that Hungarians turned out in record numbers and gave Tisza a parliamentary supermajority… a necessary condition for amending the Fundamental Law of Hungary (The Hungarian Constitution) and reversing the blatantly anti-democratic laws codified during the Orbán regime.
(*) One doesn’t vote for a candidate directly in Hungarian Parliamentary elections. One votes for a party, which automatically includes a “vote” for Prime Minister as a package deal.
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Frank’s Take on the Orbán Regime
I’m not a journalist or politician. I share my thoughts and feelings here purely as a concerned citizen of the world who happens to have Hungarian ancestry and has visited Hungary dozens of times. Although Orbán’s corruption hasn’t impacted me directly, it has certainly negatively impacted the lives of Hungarians I’ve gotten to know over the years: personal friends, business owners, doctors, university professors, media professionals, diplomats, students, and gay people.
In addition to his opposition to anything not aligned with Christian Nationalist “values”, one of Orbán’s most devastating “accomplishments” is a stagnant low wage economy that has driven many young and better educated Hungarians to have fewer children and to emigrate elsewhere for higher wages and brighter career prospects. Here’s hoping that Tisza and Magyar can reverse the brain-drain and risk of depopulation.
From where I sit, Orbán’s rule was just a political “reality show” (sound familiar?) that served to cover up a rampant corruption scheme that has stifled economic development, lowered living standards, and upended the lives of many Hungarians. Fortunately, Hungarians finally realized that Orbán had a well oiled system of criticizing Brussels above the table while quietly enriching himself and his cronies with EU funds under the table.
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What Péter Magyar’s Election Could Mean for Hungary
Unlike the abjectly corrupt, pro-Putin, Trump-touted Christian nationalist, far-right authoritarian regime of Orbán, Magyar has pledged to fight corruption, promote the rule of law, reestablish judicial independence, recover stolen state funds, hold corrupt elites accountable, reconnect with EU institutions, unlock frozen funds to support Ukraine, dismantle state-controlled media, support LGBTQ+ rights, remove anti-Ukraine propaganda, restore access to billions in EU funding withheld by Brussels during the Orbán regime, create a Ministry of Education with strong authority, and eventually adopt the Euro as the official currency (currently the Hungarian Forint).
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What Péter Magyar’s Election Could Mean for Europe and Beyond
Magyar and Tisza’s win isn’t just good news for Hungary. It’s a win for Ukraine because it signals an end to Viktor Orbán’s obstruction of EU support for Ukraine. It’s also a symbolic rejection of the far-right and an endorsement of more European political and economic cooperation. Furthermore, Magyar’s win is a powerful reminder that real change is possible when the truth is known and citizens show up at the polls.
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Frank’s Pix from the Inauguration
Five words describe the vibe: joyous, unified, peaceful, proud, and hopeful…
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Reasons for Cautious Optimism
It remains to be seen how much and how quickly sixteen years of institutional and relational damage can be reversed by Magyar and Tisza. For one, there’s no shortage of bureaucratic and legal inertia to overcome. For two, while Tisza supports closer ties with the EU, they also need to balance this against hot button issues like migration, relations with Ukraine, and energy dependence on Russia. Also, while progressives (including me) hope he’ll repeal the 2021 “child protection law” restricting gay rights, doing so could alienate the right wing of Tisza and their supporters.
All that said, a huge reason for optimism is that Tisza’s win was no small feat. To say that they overcame some serious headwinds is a gross understatement given the blatant Gerrymandering, stifling censorship of the media, state-sponsored propaganda campaigns, and the outright buying of votes in the countryside. Here’s hoping they now have the Hungarian wind in their sails!
Rest assured that Péter Ferenc will be watching closely.
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Learn more… Travel Stories
Frank, I’ll be in Budapest briefly (two days) in early June. I’m appealing to you as a well-traveled man: give me a short list of “must-sees.”
Super, Michael… and thanks for the vote of confidence. May I ask what’s taking you there?
Budapest is one of my favorite subjects. I’d rather say too much than too little, so here goes nothing…
I recommend printing out a paper map of the city center and marking any of the following that might interest you, then connecting the dots. It’s possible to do it all on foot if you’re in ok shape as it all fits within a one square mile box plus or minus.
Anyway, my short list:
1. Szimpla ruin bar (by day or night or both, free admission.
2. Great Market Hall, great place for gifts, buy some Paprika, eat upstairs at Fakanal Etterem (informal, friendly, reasonably priced cafeteria style, they often have a gypsy band playing).
3. Parliament Square (Kossuth Lajos).
4. Shoes on the Danube Memorial.
5. Take one of the Metro line 4 (super modern and deep)
6. Saint Stephen’s Cathedral.
7. Fat policeman Statue.
8. Take a short ride on Metro Line 1, the very first underground on the continent.
9. Add any of the art museums.
10. Michael Jackson Memorial Tree.
11. Walk across the chain bridge and take the funicular up to Buda Castle and Fisherman’s bastion for the classic view of the city you see in all the Viking cruise commercials.
Budapest has a fabulous public transportation system of well coordinated and connected metros, trams, and buses. You’ll figure it out… just don’t forget to validate individual tix.
Paprika buying tips: Buy both Edes (sweet) and Csipos (spicy). The secret is to cook with both in the same dish!
ATMs are everywhere. Avoid the EUR/HUF type. Use one from a major bank and DO NOT ask for conversion to your country’s currency. Let your home bank manage the exchange rates.
Extra Credit: Jack Doyle’s Bar (my favorite bar in the whole world… tell Charles, Elvi, Charb, Richie, Isaac, Anna, and Gavin that Frank Peter sent you.)
Please don’t hesitate to ask more questions. Like I said, Budapest is one of my favorite subjects.
Hey, Michael…. Just checking to see if you got my reply to your appeal.
You made it to Budapest! It’s fantastic that you managed to coordinate a trip to Hungary at such an historical time. The atmosphere must be amazing. It gives hope to everyone with a socialist bone in their body that such huge changes can happen – for once for the better! Hope you’re enjoying all the other aspects of your trip too Frank.
Kath!!! Thanks so much for the resonance, support, and for joining the celebration. It’s great to have you here in spirit. Yes, I made it. As we chatted about, I was hoping to make it to NE England somewhere along the way, but my schedule is tight and flights were just too difficult to coordinate. Hopefully in September? Wishing you all the best. Cheers!
It’s great to get your posts and hear about your travels. September! Let’s hope! All the best Frank.
Thanks for being such special source of joy for me, Kath. Here’s hoping!
How wonderful that you were there in Hungary at such an important and historical moment, Frank!! I am so happy for you and for the Hungarian people! They proved that it is possible to overcome the odds when people show up in overwhelming numbers! I also appreciate the sound file you included on how to properly pronounce Magyar Péter’s name! That was super helpful!! Thank you for sharing the photos and the joys of the moment of the election results! It was almost like being there!! Thankfully, you actually were!! Ha!
Thanks a bunch for the resonance, support, and for joining the celebration, Anita. It’s great to have you here in spirit!
Wow! Wow wow wow. I am so glad you have been there to soak up the good energy! Thank you for sharing your words and images. Hope you find a piano somewhere to add to the joyful noise!
Teresa! Thanks a bunch for checking in and for cheering me on! Big hug from Budapest!
Thrilling, Frank! So glad you were there. With you in spirit. The Hungarian Parliament is, indeed, beautiful.
Have you had any sour cherry soup?
Thanks, as always, for cheering me on, Annie. Soup cherry soup = chef’s kiss!!! Sending you a big hug from Budapest!
Enjoy!!
“History shows that nations grow stronger when corruption is challenged, institutions are trusted, and the voices of ordinary people are heard again. Hungary’s future will ultimately belong to its people. 🇭🇺”
Thanks so much for your thoughtful addition, Sean. Here’s hoping! Also, your comment has me thinking I should incorporate some key passages from Magyar’s inaugural speech. All the best, man.
Hungary is lucky to have a good friend in you, Peter Ferenc.
Your generous and supportive comment made me smile out loud, old friend.