Péter Szijjártó exits politics for BYD as Fidesz fractures

The departure of Szijjártó, a primary architect of Hungary’s 'Opening to the East' policy, follows months of political paralysis within the former ruling party. Though Fidesz communications director Bertalan Havasi characterized the party's current state as chaotic, he maintained that Orbán remains focused on stabilization. This pivot to the private sector has drawn sharp criticism from Péter Magyar, who accused the former minister of abandoning Hungarian interests to serve a foreign employer directly.

Szijjártó’s move aligns with a broader trend of deep integration between the Hungarian government and Chinese industrial interests. Since 2010, the administration has secured significant loans and investments, highlighted by the establishment of a major BYD manufacturing facility in Szeged and a research hub in Budapest. Having lobbied extensively against EU tariffs on Chinese products, Szijjártó’s transition to an executive role at BYD is viewed by opposition figures as the culmination of years of state-sponsored diplomatic favors. With key figures exiting and polling numbers for Orbán hitting record lows, the prospect of a formal party split has moved from speculation to a distinct possibility.