Magyar has committed to improving relations with Brussels in an effort to unlock approximately €10 billion in EU funds that have been frozen due to concerns over human rights and rule of law issues in recent years.
The center-right Hungarian leader traveled to Brussels for discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week as the new government races to meet an August deadline to demonstrate reform progress or face losing access to the funds entirely.
Tisza, founded by Magyar in 2020 following his departure from Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party, secured 141 of the 200 parliamentary seats in April’s national elections, granting the party the two-thirds supermajority needed to implement constitutional changes.
Orbán, along with several top associates, announced he would not join the new parliament, but appeared on a Hungarian-language YouTube channel on Friday to assert he would confront any investigation into his actions and proclaimed his innocence.
Nevertheless, Orbán’s exit — after frequently using his European Council veto to block support for Ukraine and object to sanctions on Russia — coincides with his longtime ally, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, intensifying support for the Kremlin.
Fico was the sole EU leader to visit Moscow on Saturday for events marking Russia’s Victory Day, which are occurring without the traditional display of tanks and rocket launchers due to a lack of equipment and the threat posed by Ukrainian drones.
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