The European Union flag was raised on the façade of Hungary's parliament building in Budapest on Saturday afternoon [1].
The return of the flag signals a pivot in Hungary's relationship with the EU following the swearing-in of Prime Minister Péter Magyar. This event marks the official end of the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán [2].
Reports said this is the first time the EU flag has been displayed on the parliament building since 2014 [1]. The flag had previously been removed from the site during the previous administration's tenure.
The hoisting of the banner coincided with the transition of power in the Hungarian capital. The ceremony took place as Magyar assumed leadership of the government, replacing Orbán, who had led the country for over a decade [2].
The parliament building serves as the central seat of Hungarian legislative power. The visual presence of the EU flag on its exterior is widely viewed as a symbolic gesture of alignment with the European bloc after years of diplomatic tension between Budapest and Brussels.
Officials said the flag was placed on the façade to mark the inauguration of the new prime minister [1]. The move follows a period of significant political shift within the country, culminating in the change of leadership this Saturday.
“The EU flag was raised on the façade of Hungary's parliament building in Budapest on Saturday afternoon.”
The reappearance of the EU flag on the Hungarian parliament building is a potent symbolic break from the previous administration's Euroskeptic policies. By restoring a symbol that had been absent for 12 years, the new government under Péter Magyar is signaling a desire to repair strained ties with European Union institutions and reintegrate Hungary into the bloc's political mainstream.
