László Kövér, former Speaker of Hungary’s National Assembly and a co-founder of Fidesz, has admitted that the party failed to address several important issues during its 16 years in government, singling out the country’s education system as an area that has deteriorated.

Co-founder of Fidesz used their own mistakes as examples

“Our education system is in a worse state in this respect than it was 16 years ago,” Kövér said in an interview on the KözBeszéd programme, broadcast on Tuesday. He is stepping away from parliamentary politics following Fidesz’s election defeat.

However, he argued that the previous government should not bear all the responsibility for the problems in education. He said schools had also been forced to cope with wider social pressures arising from the breakdown of families.

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Election defeat came as a shock

Reflecting on the election result, Kövér said Fidesz had expected a close contest based on opinion polls and still believed victory was possible on election day. Although he acknowledged that losing power after 16 years in government had always been a possibility, the scale of the defeat surprised him. “We knew in advance that it would not be a triumphant march, but we never expected such a heavy defeat,” he said. “It was a staggering surprise for us, at least for me.”

Kövér also conceded that Fidesz had made mistakes in several areas. One particular failure, in his view, was the party’s relationship with younger voters. He said it should have done more to build dialogue with young people well before the election campaign. His comments amount to an unusually direct acknowledgement of shortcomings from a senior figure who helped establish the governing party and remained influential throughout its years in power.

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Kövér cautious about Orbán’s future

The former Speaker also addressed the future role of Viktor Orbán, Fidesz’s long-time leader, in shaping Hungary’s political right. Kövér urged caution over speculation about Orbán becoming prime ministerial candidate again in 2030. He argued that Orbán’s intention to remain influential on the right did not necessarily mean he planned to seek the premiership.

“I do not think he himself believes he has put himself forward as a candidate for prime minister,” Kövér said, adding that the question remained a long way off. Orbán’s future political options have also become a subject of debate following changes to Hungary’s constitution, according to the reports.

Kövér’s remarks come as Fidesz faces the challenge of assessing why it lost power after more than a decade and a half in office. His criticism of education and the party’s engagement with younger voters suggests that at least some prominent figures within its ranks recognise the need to examine its record. The interview with László Kövér can be watched below:

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