First Orbán Government

65th Cabinet of Hungary
Date formed8 July 1998
Date dissolved27 May 2002
People and organisations
Head of stateÁrpád Göncz (Ind.)
Ferenc Mádl (Ind.)
Head of governmentViktor Orbán
Member partyFidesz, MDF, FKgP
Status in legislatureMajority
213 / 386 (55%)
Opposition partyMSZP, MIÉP and SZDSZ
Opposition leaderGyula Horn,
László Kovács (MSZP)
Gábor Kuncze,
Bálint Magyar (SZDSZ)
István Csurka (MIÉP)
History
Election(s)1998 election
Outgoing election2002 election
Legislature term(s)1998-2002
PredecessorHorn Government
SuccessorMedgyessy Government

The First Orbán Government was the fourth democratically elected government in Hungary after the regime change. It existed between 1998 and 2002. Its creation was made possible by the FKgP: the party withdrew 82 candidates in the second round of the election, so FKgP voters voted for the local Fidesz candidate instead, thus reversing the election result. Due to the resignations in the Parliament afterwards, the votes of the way smaller but still large number of 48 smallholder representatives were essential for the formation of the government. The governmental relationship between the two parties was formed by the coalition agreement developed by the negotiating delegations, led by László Kövér and Béla Szabadi. The coalition government consisted of three parties: Fidesz, FKgP and MDF. The latter was introduced to the Parliament with the help of Fidesz. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took his oath of office on July 6, 1998, and his ministers took office on July 8, two days later. The coalition was dissolved in 2001, if not formally, but on its merits: the coalition agreement virtually expired. The FKgP could not even recall Imre Boros, even though the right to nominate belonged to the party. From the moment that József Torgyán, the chairman of the FKgP, was forced to resign as a minister because of his son's so called "cassette case", although he was able to retain his position within the party, but his position weakened considerably: his party faction expelled the party chairman from the group with votes from Fidesz supporters and in violation of house rules. He assured the government of the support of five members who had previously been expelled or separated from the smallholder faction, leaving a majority in the National Assembly for a time. At the same time, the government received external support from MIÉP.

Party breakdown

Beginning of term

Party breakdown of cabinet ministers in the beginning of term:

6
4
1
7

End of term

Party breakdown of cabinet ministers in the end of term:

7
4
1
6

Composition

Office Image Incumbent Political party In office
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Fidesz 6 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of the Prime Minister's Office István Stumpf Independent 8 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Internal Affairs Sándor Pintér Independent 8 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi Independent 8 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Finance Zsigmond Járai Independent 8 July 1998 - 31 December 2000
Mihály Varga Fidesz 31 December 2000 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Economy Attila Chikán Independent 8 July 1998 - 31 December 1999
György Matolcsy Independent 31 December 1999 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development József Torgyán FKgP 8 July 1998 - 15 February 2001
Imre Boros FKgP 15 February 2001 - 25 March 2001
András Vonza FKgP 25 March 2001 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Justice Ibolya Dávid MDF 8 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Health Árpád Gógl Fidesz 8 July 1998 - 31 December 2000
István Mikola Independent 31 December 2000 - 27 May 2002
Minister of National Cultural Heritage József Hámori Independent 8 July 1998 - 31 December 1999
Zoltán Rockenbauer Fidesz 31 December 1999 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Education Zoltán Pokorni Fidesz 8 July 1998 - 15 July 2001
József Pálinkás Fidesz 15 July 2001 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Social Affairs Péter Harrach Fidesz 8 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Defence János Szabó FKgP 8 July 1998 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Environment Pál Pepó FKgP 8 July 1998 - 19 June 2000
Ferenc Ligetvári FKgP 19 June 2000 - 30 November 2000
Béla Turi-Kovács FKgP 30 November 2000 - 27 May 2002
Minister of Transportation, Communication

and Water

 Kálmán Katona Independent 8 July 1998 - 31 May 2000
László Nógrádi Fidesz 31 May 2000 - 30 November 2000
János Fónagy Fidesz 30 November 2000 - 27 May 2002
Minister for Youth and Sport Tamás Deutsch Fidesz 1 January 1999 - 27 May 2002
Minister without portfolio

for Secret Services

 László Kövér Fidesz 8 July 1998 - 2 May 2000
Ervin Demeter Independent 2 May 2000 - 27 May 2002
Minister without portfolio

for the coordination of the PHARE programme

 Imre Boros FKgP 4 October 2004 - 9 June 2006

References

    József Bölöny: Magyarország kormányai 1848–2004 (Governments of Hungary from 1848 to 2004) Az 1987–2004 közötti időszakot feldolgozta és sajtó alá rendezte Hubai László. 5. bővített és javított kiadás. (the period between 1987 and 2004 was written by László Hubai) Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó. 2004. ISBN 963-05-8106-X

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