Israel's President Herzog Visits Hungary Post-Orbán Election Defeat

By איתמר אייכנר

Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba

CenterNeutral tone

Hebrew · 5 newsrooms covering

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will make a 12-hour visit to Budapest, his first to Hungary since the election of new Prime Minister Péter Magyar. Herzog will meet with President András Baka and Prime Minister Magyar to discuss bilateral cooperation. He will also speak at a global Jewish youth conference and meet with the local Jewish community. The visit follows the defeat of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Israel, and signals potential shifts in Hungarian foreign policy.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

President Isaac Herzog visits Hungary following the election of new Prime Minister Péter Magyar.
Herzog will meet with Hungarian President András Baka and Prime Minister Péter Magyar.
The visit marks the first by a senior Israeli official since Viktor Orbán's election defeat.
Herzog will address the international "Voice of the People" conference.
Hungary's new government plans to rejoin the International Criminal Court.

Israel's President Herzog Visits Hungary Post-Orbán Election Defeat — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

President Isaac Herzog of Israel is set to make his first visit to Hungary following the recent political shift that saw the ousting of longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The trip, approved by a phone poll of the government on Monday, will be a brief 12-hour visit to Budapest.

During his stay, President Herzog will be received at the Presidential Palace by Hungarian President András Baka. They will hold a political meeting to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation and strengthening relations between the two nations. Following this, Herzog will meet with Hungary's new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, to advance collaborative efforts.

A central focus of the visit will be an address Herzog will deliver at the international "Voice of the People" (VoP) conference. This global initiative, led by the President, aims to foster connections and dialogue among young Jewish leaders from the diaspora and Israel, addressing shared challenges facing the Jewish people.

The visit concludes with a meeting between President Herzog and leaders of Hungary's Jewish community. This trip marks the first visit by a senior Israeli official to Hungary since the significant political transition, which resulted in Orbán's defeat by Magyar and his party "Respect and Freedom." Herzog had congratulated Magyar on his victory, expressing anticipation for continued historical relations, while Magyar pledged to maintain "pragmatic relations" with Israel under his leadership.

The change in government in Budapest has also signaled shifts in Hungarian foreign policy, including steps toward re-engagement with the European Union and international institutions. Notably, Magyar announced intentions to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, from which Orbán had withdrawn Hungary's membership following an arrest warrant issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.