HUNGARY’S NEW ECONOMIC POLICY: PÉTER MAGYAR, EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, AND POST-ORBÁN ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Abstract

The relevance of the study stems from the transformation of Hungary’s political and economic environment, the growing competition between Viktor Orbán’s conservative model and emerging political forces, and the need to identify possible directions for the country’s economic development amid a potential change of political course. Particular attention is given to Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party, which position themselves as an alternative to the existing system of governance and link political change with deeper European integration and economic modernisation. The aim of the study is to identify the main features of Hungary’s emerging economic policy associated with Péter Magyar’s political movement and to assess possible directions of European integration and economic recovery after the Orbán era. The object of the study is Hungary’s contemporary economic policy in the context of political transformation and changes in its relations with the European Union. The theoretical framework draws on approaches to the analysis of economic policy, political competition, European integration and institutional transformation. The study applies systemic, comparative, institutional and political-economic methods, together with an analysis of political programmes and public statements. The findings identify potential differences between the economic model developed under Orbán’s governments and the approaches proposed by Péter Magyar. Particular attention is paid to Hungary’s relations with the EU, access to European financial resources, investment policy, public administration, anti-corruption measures, competitiveness and economic growth. The study demonstrates that a change in political leadership alone cannot guarantee a rapid transformation of the economic model, as the effectiveness of reforms will depend on state institutional capacity, the nature of relations with the EU and the consistency of economic policy. The practical significance of the study lies in identifying possible scenarios for Hungary’s economic policy and assessing their potential implications for European economic integration, regional cooperation and the economic development of Central Europe.