Conservative Péter Magyar was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Hungary this Saturday and promised to dismantle the “illiberal regime” built by ultranationalist Viktor Orbán over the past 16 years and to fight corruption.

“I ask everyone here, within the walls of Parliament, to listen and hear that Hungarians have expressed that they want change, not just a change of government, but of system,” Magyar said in his first speech as Prime Minister, referring to his promise to dismantle the regime erected by Orbán.

Magyar was sworn in after being elected the new head of government with 140 votes in favor and 54 against from the 199 members of Parliament, with a program focused on dismantling Orbán’s system, restoring good relations with the European Union, and fighting corruption.

Parliament celebrated Magyar’s investiture on a symbolic date, Europe Day, a day on which the Chamber also raised the flag of the European Union again, which had been removed by the previous president of the chamber, a member of Fidesz, Orbán’s party.

Tisza, Magyar’s party, won the elections on April 12 with a large majority over Fidesz, and will have an absolute majority of more than two-thirds in the new Parliament, which will ensure that the new cabinet can implement its promise to dismantle the “illiberal regime” by undertaking constitutional changes.

In his first speech, Magyar announced that one of his first measures will be the creation of the National Heritage Recovery and Defense Office, stating that “Hungarians have the right to know how public assets became private wealth.”

This Office will be responsible for recovering funds allegedly diverted to oligarchs close to Orbán and Fidesz.

Numerous journalistic investigations point to the enormous enrichment of Orbán’s inner circle: his childhood best friend and his son-in-law are among the richest people in Hungary, while the NGO Transparency International ranks the country as the most corrupt in Europe.

Orbán and several Fidesz leaders, who were part of Parliament since the first elections after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1990, have decided to return their mandate to the party and not occupy their seats.

Magyar asked the senior officials appointed by Orbán in all state institutions, including President Tamás Sulyok, to resign before the end of May.

After the ceremony in Parliament, Magyar will speak to his supporters in Kossuth Square, in front of the Parliament building, where the ‘People’s Party of Regime Change’ will be celebrated until midnight, and which is expected to be attended by tens of thousands of people.

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