List of heads of state of Hungary
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This article lists the heads of state of Hungary, from the Hungarian Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Hungarian State in 1849 (during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848) until the present day.
The current head of state of Hungary is Ágnes Forsthoffer, serving as acting President of the Republic in her capacity as Speaker of the National Assembly following the termination of Tamás Sulyok's presidency on 20 July 2026; she will serve until president-elect András Baka enters into office on 19 August.[1][2] Sulyok was forced from office by the passage of the seventeenth amendment of the Fundamental Law of Hungary, which terminated his presidency alongside broader constitutional reforms.[3]
For earlier rulers, see Grand Prince of the Hungarians, King of Hungary and List of Hungarian monarchs.
Hungarian State (1849)
[edit]Parties EP
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| Governor–President of the Hungarian State | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Lajos Kossuth (1802–1894) also prime minister |
14 April 1849 | 11 August 1849 | 119 days | Opposition Party (EP) |
| — |  |
General Artúr Görgei (1818–1916) acting |
11 August 1849 | 13 August 1849 | 2 days | Revolutionary Army |
After the collapse of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the restored Hungarian Kingdom became an integral part of the Austrian Empire until 1867, when dual Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was created and the Hungarian Kingdom was organized as Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen.
Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (1867–1918)
[edit]| Name Reign Coronation |
Portrait | Arms | Birth Parentage |
Marriage(s) Issue |
Death Burial |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Habsburg-Lorraine (1867–1918) | ||||||
| Franz Joseph I 54th king of Hungary [a] 29 May 1867 ┃ 21 November 1916 (49 years, 176 days)  Buda |
.png) |
 |
18 August 1830 Vienna Son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria |
Elisabeth of Bavaria 24 April 1854 Vienna four children |
21 November 1916 Vienna aged 86 Capuchin Crypt, Vienna, Archduchy of Austria |
Nephew of Ferdinand V, grandson of Francis I |
| Charles IV Blessed Charles 55th king of Hungary 21 November 1916 ┃ 16 November 1918 (1 year, 360 days) Budapest |
 |
 |
17 August 1887 Persenbeug-Gottsdorf Son of Archduke Otto of Austria and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony |
Zita of Bourbon-Parma 21 October 1911 Schwarzau eight children |
1 April 1922 Funchal aged 34 Church of Our Lady, Funchal, Portugal |
Great-nephew of Francis Joseph I, second great grandson of Francis I |
Hungarian People's Republic (1918–1919)
[edit]Parties F48P–Károlyi
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| President of the People's Republic of Hungary | ||||||
| — | .jpg) |
Count Mihály Károlyi (1875–1955) also prime minister |
16 November 1918 | 11 January 1919 | 125 days | Party of Independence and '48 (F48P–Károlyi) |
| 1 | 11 January 1919 | 21 March 1919 | ||||
Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919)
[edit]Parties KMP
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| Chairman of the Central Executive Council of the Hungarian Soviet Republic | ||||||
| 1 | .jpg) |
Sándor Garbai (1879–1947) also prime minister |
21 March 1919 | 1 August 1919 | 133 days | Hungarian Communist Party (KMP) |
Hungarian People's Republic (1919)
[edit]Parties MSZDP
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| Provisional President of the Hungarian People's Republic | ||||||
| — | .jpg) |
Gyula Peidl (1873–1943) acting, also prime minister |
1 August 1919 | 6 August 1919 | 5 days | Social Democratic Party of Hungary (MSZDP) |
Hungarian Republic (1919–1920)
[edit]Parties KNP KNEP Independent
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| Regent of the Hungarian Republic | ||||||
| 1 | .jpg) |
Archduke Joseph August (1872–1962) |
7 August 1919 | 23 August 1919 | 16 days | Independent |
| Provisional President of the Hungarian Republic | ||||||
| — |  |
István Friedrich (1883–1951) acting, also prime minister |
23 August 1919 | 24 November 1919 | 93 days | Christian National Party (KNP; Aug–Oct 1919) Christian National Union Party (KNEP; Oct–Nov 1919) |
| — | .jpg) |
Károly Huszár (1882–1941) acting, also prime minister |
24 November 1919 | 1 March 1920 | 98 days | Christian National Union Party (KNEP) |
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)
[edit]| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Miklós Horthy (1868–1957) |
1 March 1920 | 15 October 1944 | 24 years, 228 days | Independent |
| Vacant (15 October 1944 – 4 November 1944) | ||||||
| Leader of the Nation of Hungary | ||||||
| 1 | .jpg) |
Ferenc Szálasi (1897–1946) also prime minister |
4 November 1944 | 7 May 1945 | 184 days | Arrow Cross Party (NYKP) |
| Head of State of Hungary | ||||||
| — | .jpg) |
General Béla Miklós (1890–1948) in opposition, also prime minister |
21 December 1944 | 25 January 1945 | 35 days | Independent |
| — | .svg) |
High National Council collective [b] |
26 January 1945 | 1 February 1946 | 1 year, 6 days | Multi-party |
Hungarian Republic (1946–1949)
[edit]| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| President of the Hungarian Republic | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Zoltán Tildy (1889–1961) |
1 February 1946 | 3 August 1948 | 2 years, 184 days | Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party (FKGP) |
| 2 |  |
Árpád Szakasits (1888–1965) |
3 August 1948 | 23 August 1949 | 1 year, 20 days | Hungarian Working People's Party (MDP) |
Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989)
[edit]Parties MDP–MSZMP Independent
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | ||||
| Chairman of the Presidential Council of the Hungarian People's Republic | ||||||
| 1 | |
Árpád Szakasits (1888–1965) |
23 August 1949 | 26 April 1950 | 246 days | Hungarian Working People's Party (MDP) |
| 2 |  |
Sándor Rónai (1892–1965) |
26 April 1950 | 14 August 1952 | 2 years, 110 days | Hungarian Working People's Party (MDP) |
| 3 | .jpg) |
István Dobi (1898–1968) |
14 August 1952 | 14 April 1967 | 14 years, 243 days | Independent (Aug 1952–1959) |
| Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSZMP) (1959–Apr 1967) | ||||||
| 4 | .jpg) |
Pál Losonczi (1919–2005) |
14 April 1967 | 25 June 1987 | 20 years, 72 days | Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSZMP) |
| 5 |  |
Károly Németh (1922–2008) |
25 June 1987 | 29 June 1988 | 1 year, 4 days | Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSZMP) |
| 6 | .jpg) |
Brunó Ferenc Straub (1914–1996) |
29 June 1988 | 23 October 1989 | 1 year, 116 days | Independent |
Leaders of the Hungarian Working People's Party / Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party
[edit]The leader of the Hungarian Working People's Party / Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party was the country's de facto chief executive; the officeholders are listed below.
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| General Secretary of the Hungarian Working People's Party | ||||||
.jpg) |
Mátyás Rákosi (1892–1971) |
12 June 1948 | 28 June 1953 | 5 years, 16 days | Also Prime Minister (1952–1953) | |
| First Secretary of the Hungarian Working People's Party | ||||||
|
Mátyás Rákosi (1892–1971) |
28 June 1953 | 18 July 1956 | 3 years, 20 days | ||
,_Bestanddeelnr_914-2279_(cropped).jpg) |
Ernő Gerő (1898–1980) |
18 July 1956 | 25 October 1956 | 99 days | ||
.jpg) |
János Kádár (1912–1989) |
25 October 1956 | 31 October 1956 | 6 days | ||
| First Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party | ||||||
|
János Kádár (1912–1989) |
31 October 1956 | 28 March 1985 | 28 years, 148 days | Also Prime Minister (1956–1958 and 1961–1965) | |
| General Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party | ||||||
|
János Kádár (1912–1989) |
28 March 1985 | 22 May 1988 | 3 years, 55 days | ||
_(b).jpg) |
Károly Grósz (1930–1996) |
22 May 1988 | 26 June 1989 | 1 year, 35 days | Also Prime Minister (1987–1988) | |
| President of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party | ||||||
 |
Rezső Nyers (1923–2018) |
26 June 1989 | 7 October 1989 | 103 days | ||
Hungary (from 1989)
[edit]Parties MSZP SZDSZ Fidesz Tisza Party Independent
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | Term (Election) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Tenure | |||||
| President of the Hungarian Republic | |||||||
| — | .jpg) |
Mátyás Szűrös (born 1933) provisional |
23 October 1989 | 2 May 1990 | 191 days | Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) |
— |
| — |  |
Árpád Göncz (1922–2015) |
2 May 1990 | 3 August 1990 | 10 years, 93 days | Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) |
— |
| 1 | 3 August 1990 | 3 August 2000 | 1 (1990) | ||||
| 2 (1995) | |||||||
| 2 |  |
Ferenc Mádl (1931–2011) |
4 August 2000 | 4 August 2005 | 5 years | Independent | 3 (2000) |
| 3 |  |
László Sólyom (1942–2023) |
5 August 2005 | 5 August 2010 | 5 years | Independent | 4 (2005) |
| 4 |  |
Pál Schmitt (born 1942) |
6 August 2010 | 31 December 2011 | 1 year, 147 days | Fidesz | 5 (2010) |
| President of the Republic of Hungary[c] | |||||||
| (4) |  |
Pál Schmitt (born 1942) |
1 January 2012 | 2 April 2012 (resigned) |
92 days | Fidesz | 5 (2010) |
| — |  |
László Kövér (born 1959) acting |
2 April 2012 | 10 May 2012 | 38 days | Fidesz | — |
| 5 |  |
János Áder (born 1959) |
10 May 2012 | 10 May 2022 | 10 years | Fidesz | 6 (2012) |
| 7 (2017) | |||||||
| 6 | .jpg) |
Katalin Novák (born 1977) |
10 May 2022 | 26 February 2024 (resigned) |
1 year, 292 days | Fidesz | 8 (2022) |
| — | .jpg) |
László Kövér (born 1959) acting |
26 February 2024 | 5 March 2024 | 8 days | Fidesz | — |
| 7 | .jpg) |
Tamás Sulyok (born 1956) |
5 March 2024 | 19 July 2026 | 2 years, 136 days | Independent | 9 (2024) |
| — | .jpg) |
Ágnes Forsthoffer (born 1980) acting |
20 July 2026 | Incumbent | 25 days | Tisza Party | — |
| 8 | .png) |
András Baka (born 1952) |
President-elect Assuming office on 19 August 2026 |
−5 days | Independent | 10 (2026) | |
Timeline
[edit]This is a graphical lifespan timeline of the heads of state of Hungary. They are listed in order of first assuming office.
The following chart lists heads of state by lifespan (living heads of state on the green line), with the years outside of their tenure in beige. Heads of state with an unknown birth date or death date are shown with only their tenure or their earlier or later life.
The following chart shows heads of state by their age (living heads of state in green), with the years of their tenure in blue. Heads of state with an unknown birth or death date are excluded. The vertical black line at 35 years indicates the minimum age to be president.
See also
[edit]
Notes
[edit]- ↑ Franz Joseph I officially reigned as King of Hungary from 2 December 1848 but the National Assembly did not recognise his accession to the throne until 29 May 1867.
- ↑ In opposition to 28 March 1945
- ↑ Under the Fundamental Law, adopted in 2011, the official name of the state is simply Hungary as opposed to the former name "Hungarian Republic", but the form of government is still a republic and the office is referred to as the president of the republic, though in a sense of "the president of the republic that presides over Hungary", rather than "the president who presides over the Republic of Hungary".
References
[edit]- ↑ Cseke, Balázs (18 July 2026). "Sulyok Tamás aláírta az Alaptörvény-módosítást, holnaptól nem ő a köztársasági elnök". Telex.hu. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ Székely, Ferenc (11 August 2026). "A Magyar Köztársaság 9. elnöke Baka András volt bíró". Euronews (in Hungarian). Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Itt a vége, Sulyok Tamás aláírja az Alaptörvény-módosítást, megszűnik a köztársasági elnöki mandátuma". Népszava (in Hungarian). 18 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
