Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has announced that he will resign his parliamentary seat and take up an international position at Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD.
Szijjártó revealed the decision in a Facebook post, saying he had submitted his resignation because he had received “an extremely honourable offer from one of the defining companies of the global economy” to take on an international role. He will continue his career as BYD’s executive responsible for external relations and the development of new business areas.
The move marks the end of Szijjártó’s more than two-decade parliamentary career. He first entered Hungary’s National Assembly in 2002, became Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s personal spokesman in 2010, served as state secretary for foreign affairs and foreign economic relations from 2012, and held the position of foreign minister between 2014 and 2026.
Although he secured a parliamentary mandate from the national party list in the 2026 election, he did not run in an individual constituency. Since the start of the new parliamentary term, Szijjártó had rarely attended sessions, becoming the second-most frequently absent MP after former construction and transport minister János Lázár, according to Telex.
A close supporter of Chinese investment in Hungary
Szijjártó’s new role at BYD is notable given his long-standing support for Chinese investment and cooperation while serving as foreign minister. He repeatedly argued that closer economic ties between Hungary and China represented an opportunity rather than a threat.
When the European Union considered introducing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, Szijjártó criticised the move, arguing that Europe should pursue cooperation with China instead of confrontation.
“Hungary is a good example of how civilised East-West cooperation can bring serious economic benefits,” he said at the time, adding that Europe’s competitiveness could not be improved by treating China solely as a rival.
BYD has become one of the largest Chinese investors in Hungary, with the company building an electric vehicle factory in Szeged. The investment has been presented by successive Hungarian governments as a major step in developing the country’s role in the global EV supply chain.
From foreign minister to corporate executive
Szijjártó’s departure comes after a turbulent period following the 2026 election, which saw the Orbán government lose power. During his final year as foreign minister, it was revealed that ministry records showed more than HUF 2 billion had been spent on his official air travel in 2025, including 19 occasions when private aircraft were chartered for his trips.
Shortly after the change of government, Szijjártó gave a three-hour interview to Telex, where he discussed Hungary’s relations with Russia, tensions with the European Union, the future of Fidesz, and the political legacy of the Orbán era.
He said he did not believe Fidesz could have a future without Viktor Orbán and that he would not consider it positive if Orbán stepped down as party leader. He also said he had never had ambitions to become prime minister or lead Fidesz.
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Orbán was informed about the decision
According to Fidesz press chief Bertalan Havasi, Viktor Orbán was aware of Szijjártó’s plans and personally discussed the resignation with him twice in recent weeks.
“The party chairman naturally knew about the decision and personally consulted Péter Szijjártó on two occasions in recent weeks,” Havasi told Telex.
He added that Fidesz would discuss the future of Szijjártó’s parliamentary seat at its upcoming leadership and faction meeting on 21 July. Havasi also said he looked back on their two decades of cooperation “with comradeship and friendship”, adding that he was certain Orbán shared the same view.
UPDATE: Szijjártó will not leave the country
Péter Szijjártó is not leaving the country, but he will be travelling more in his BYD role than he did as Foreign Minister, Telex reports. In his new role, Szijjártó will commute between various major cities in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East, but he will not move out of the country. Telex understands that the BYD chairman signed Szijjártó’s contract on Wednesday.
UPDATE 2.0: Magyar reacts
“The complete disintegration of the former state party, Fidesz, continues at an ever-accelerating pace,” Péter Magyar wrote in a post responding to the resignation of Péter Szijjártó. According to Magyar, the former Fidesz minister had already been representing foreign interests and is now set to become the head of a Chinese company for which he had previously secured massive Hungarian state subsidies through lobbying.
What a true “patriot”. He runs for election saying he will serve the people and then weeks later he withdraws his promise to serve and instead goes to work for a Chinese company. These people are pure opportunists. Someone who runs for office and then decides he won’t serve in opposition is not there to serve anyone except himself.