Headlines
Hungary's opposition taps energy expert to lead foreign policy ahead of vote
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 24, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Quick Summary
Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar appoints energy expert Anita Orban to lead foreign policy, challenging PM Viktor Orban ahead of the April election.
Hungary's opposition taps energy expert to lead foreign policy ahead of vote
Hungary's Opposition Strategy Ahead of Elections
BUDAPEST, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar, whose Tisza party leads most polls ahead of an April 12 election, has tapped international energy expert Anita Orban to be in charge of foreign policy.
Appointment of Anita Orban
Magyar's centre-right Tisza party is ahead of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz in most polls, though many voters remain undecided ahead of the election that will be highly consequential in Europe.
Economic Plans and EU Relations
Anita Orban, unrelated to the prime minister, earned her PhD degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston in 2007 and is the author of the book "Power, Energy and the New Russian Imperialism" published in 2008.
Political Landscape and Challenges
Between 2010 and 2015, she was an envoy for energy security in Viktor Orban's government, during his second, 16-year, spell in power, and has since worked in London in senior positions in the LNG sector and, most recently, at the Vodafone Group.
She joins Magyar's team a week after he appointed former Shell executive Istvan Kapitany to a senior economy role.
"Anita Orban is an experienced diplomat ... with insight and experience in diplomacy, foreign and energy policy and also about the decision-making of international companies," Magyar said in a statement on Saturday.
Magyar, a former government insider, has told Reuters he would keep Hungary firmly anchored in the European Union and NATO if he wins elections and would strive for "pragmatic relations" with Russia.
His Tisza Party swept into Hungarian politics in 2024, mounting the most serious challenge to Orban since he came to power in 2010.
Magyar has said he would unlock billions of euros in frozen EU funds to boost the economy, after a rule of law dispute with Brussels led to Hungary losing access to the funds under Orban.
(Reporting by Krisztina ThanEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
Key Takeaways
- •Hungary's opposition leader appoints Anita Orban for foreign policy.
- •Anita Orban has a strong background in energy and diplomacy.
- •The Tisza party leads polls against PM Viktor Orban's Fidesz.
- •Peter Magyar aims to strengthen EU and NATO ties.
- •The election is pivotal for Hungary's future in Europe.
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