Hungary’s ruling Tisza Party is set to decide on its candidate for the country’s next president, with three names reportedly under consideration ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary vote.
The Tisza parliamentary group held a key meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the presidential nomination.
“We are holding an important parliamentary group meeting today: we will discuss the person of the President of the Republic,” the Tisza parliamentary group said in a social media post. The party added that Hungary needs a president who represents not a political party or side, but all Hungarians.
Three names reportedly under consideration
Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Friday that the Tisza leadership would put three candidates before the parliamentary group for consideration.
The three names are Botond Fülöp, András Baka and historian Ignác Romsics.
Magyar recently shared a photograph of himself with the three men, prompting speculation that they could be the party’s presidential candidates. He also said that the Tisza Party was looking for someone who had never held a party-political position and who could represent the unity of the nation.
The selection process follows the withdrawal of former Olympic fencer Judit Polgár, who previously declined Magyar’s invitation to become the party’s presidential candidate. The parliamentary group began its meeting at 10 AM on Saturday.
Parliament could elect the new president on Tuesday
The final candidate is expected to be chosen by the Tisza parliamentary group during Saturday’s meeting. The National Assembly could then elect Hungary’s next president on 11 August. With the Tisza parliamentary group holding more than the two-thirds majority required for the election, the new head of state is expected to be elected in the first round of voting.
Betting markets have also been closely watching the race. At the time of reporting, András Baka was reportedly the favourite on Polymarket, with 85 per cent of participants betting on him becoming the Tisza candidate, while Botond Fülöp was in second place with 13 per cent. However, such figures should not be treated as a prediction or evidence of the party’s decision. They reflect the expectations of people participating in a speculative betting market.
Energy situation temporarily stabilises
Meanwhile, the government has reported a temporary improvement in Hungary’s energy and water situation following a period of severe pressure caused by the heatwave and low water levels. The government has therefore ended its appeal for voluntary reductions in energy consumption.
The heat alert has also been reduced from the third to the second level from Saturday. However, Magyar warned that the improvement may not last and that restrictions could potentially return if conditions deteriorate again.
The situation at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant remains uncertain. The complete restart of the facility could take more than a month, although water levels are expected to improve significantly over the weekend.
Regional airports receive HUF 5.5 billion emergency support
The government has also approved a HUF 5.5 billion support package for three regional international airports: Debrecen, Hévíz-Balaton Airport in Sármellék and Pécs-Pogány Airport. Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy said the additional funding was necessary to prevent the companies operating the airports from becoming insolvent.
Without the emergency support, the operators could have gone bankrupt this year, potentially forcing the airports to shut down and putting around 250 jobs at risk. Vitézy said the airports play an important role in tourism, regional economic development and competitiveness. However, their current passenger numbers do not allow them to operate sustainably in the long term.
The government has therefore ordered a comprehensive review of the airport operators and the preparation of a new operating concept. “The aim is not to throw another lifeline to the regional airports every year, but to operate them according to a genuine development and business concept,” Vitézy said. Hévíz-Balaton Airport alone is set to receive HUF 1.2 billion in state support this year.
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Government proposes major changes to primary education
Another major announcement concerns Hungary’s primary schools. The Ministry of Education and Children’s Affairs has published a 14-point proposal package aimed at making lower-primary education more child-centred and focused on learning through experience.
The recommendations are not mandatory. Individual schools can decide which elements to introduce based on their local circumstances, pupils and educational programmes. The proposals include more flexible school days, longer breaks for movement and recreation, more project-based learning and greater use of museums, libraries and outdoor locations.
They also call for a more reasonable approach to homework. In the first year of primary school and in full-day schools, compulsory written homework at home should preferably be avoided, while weekend and holiday assignments should only be given in exceptional circumstances.
Other recommendations include:
- shorter, potentially 35-minute lessons;
- more outdoor activities and movement;
- greater emphasis on arts, music, drama and creative activities;
- more hands-on science and mathematics;
- daily storytelling and reading aloud;
- more flexible afternoon activities;
- stronger developmental feedback instead of focusing solely on grades;
- and clearer measures to prevent bullying and create safer school environments.
The ministry says schools can already begin implementing the recommendations in the academic year starting in September.
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