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List of heads of state of Hungary facts for kids

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This article tells you about the leaders of Hungary who have been the "head of state" since 1849. The head of state is like the main representative of a country. They are often a president or a monarch.

Hungary first declared its independence in 1849 during a big uprising called the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. Since then, Hungary has had many different types of governments and leaders.

The current head of state of Hungary is President of the Republic Tamás Sulyok. He used to be the top judge of the Constitutional Court. He was chosen on February 26, 2024, and started his job on March 5, 2024.

If you want to learn about even earlier rulers, you can look at the Grand Prince of the Hungarians, King of Hungary, and List of Hungarian monarchs articles.

Hungarian State (1849)

After the 1848 revolution, Hungary tried to become an independent state. During this short time, they had a Governor-President. Parties       Opposition Party

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Vastagh Portrait of Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth
(1802–1894)
14 April 1849 11 August 1849 119 days Opposition Party Governor-President
Also Prime Minister
until 2 May 1849
Görgei Artúr by Miklós Barabás
Artúr Görgei
Artúr Görgei
(1818–1916)
11 August 1849 13 August 1849 2 days Revolutionary Army Dictator
Acting civil and military authority

After the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 ended, Hungary became part of the Austrian Empire again. Later, in 1867, it joined with Austria to form the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (1867–1918)

Further information: List of Hungarian monarchs

First Hungarian Republic (1918–1919)

After World War I, Hungary became a republic for the first time. This meant it was led by a president, not a king. Parties       F48P–Károlyi

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Mihaly-karolyi--outlawsdiary00tormuoft
Mihály Károlyi
Mihály Károlyi
(1875–1955)
16 November 1918 11 January 1919 125 days F48P–Károlyi Provisional President of the Republic
Also Prime Minister
11 January 1919 21 March 1919 President of the Republic

Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919)

This was a very short period when Hungary had a communist government. Parties       MSZP/SZKMMP

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Garbai Sándor (retouched)
Sándor Garbai
Sándor Garbai
(1879–1947)
21 March 1919 1 August 1919 133 days MSZP/SZKMMP Chairman of the Central Executive Council

First Hungarian Republic (1919)

After the Soviet Republic, Hungary briefly returned to a republic. Parties       MSZDP

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
Peidl Gyula
Gyula Peidl
Gyula Peidl
(1873–1943)
1 August 1919 6 August 1919 5 days MSZDP Prime Minister
Acting Head of State

Hungarian Republic (1919–1920)

More changes happened in Hungary's government during this time. Parties       KNEP       Independent

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Joseph August of Austria (1872-1962) in 1917
Archduke Joseph August
Archduke Joseph August
(1872–1962)
7 August 1919 23 August 1919 16 days Independent
(Regent)
Regent of Hungary
István Friedrich Hungarian Prime Minister
István Friedrich
István Friedrich
(1883–1951)
23 August 1919 24 November 1919 93 days KNP → KNEP Acting Head of State
Also Prime Minister
Huszar Karoly
Károly Huszár
Károly Huszár
(1882–1941)
24 November 1919 1 March 1920 98 days KNEP

Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)

Even though Hungary was a kingdom, it didn't have a king for most of this period. Instead, it had a "Regent" who ruled in the king's place.       Independent

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
2
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy
(1868–1957)
1 March 1920 15 October 1944 24 years, 228 days Independent Regent of Hungary

Government of National Unity (1944–1945)

During World War II, Hungary had a government that was strongly influenced by Germany. Parties       NYKP

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Ferenc Szálasi
Ferenc Szálasi
(1897–1946)
4 November 1944 7 May 1945 184 days NYKP Leader of the Nation
De facto, appointed by the Germans
Also Prime Minister

Soviet-backed provisional governments (1944–1946)

Towards the end of World War II, new governments formed in Hungary with support from the Soviet Union. Parties       Independent

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
Béla Miklós de Dálnok 1944
Béla Miklós
Béla Miklós
(1890–1948)
21 December 1944 25 January 1945 35 days Independent Head of State
Also Prime Minister
In opposition
Coa Hungary Country History med (1919-1938)
High National Council
High National Council 26 January 1945 1 February 1946 1 year, 6 days Multi-party Collective Head of State
In opposition to 28 March 1945

Second Hungarian Republic (1946–1949)

After World War II, Hungary became a republic again. Parties       FKGP       MDP

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Tildy Zoltán-MTI 1946
Zoltán Tildy
Zoltán Tildy
(1889–1961)
1 February 1946 3 August 1948 2 years, 184 days FKGP President of the Republic
2
Szakasits Árpád 1949
Árpád Szakasits
Árpád Szakasits
(1888–1965)
3 August 1948 23 August 1949 1 year, 20 days MDP

Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989)

During this time, Hungary was a communist state. The main leader was often the head of the ruling party.

Chairman of the Presidential Council

The Presidential Council was a group of people who acted as the head of state. Parties       MDP–MSZMP       Independent

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title
Started Ended How long
1
Szakasits Árpád 1949
Árpád Szakasits
Árpád Szakasits
(1888–1965)
23 August 1949 26 April 1950 246 days MDP Chairman of the Presidential Council
2
Rónai Sándor (crop)
Sándor Rónai
Sándor Rónai
(1892–1965)
26 April 1950 14 August 1952 2 years, 110 days
3
Dobi István 1948-06
István Dobi
István Dobi
(1898–1968)
14 August 1952 25 October 1956 14 years, 243 days
(3) 25 October 1956 14 April 1967 MSZMP
4
Pál Losonczi
Pál Losonczi
Pál Losonczi
(1919–2005)
14 April 1967 25 June 1987 20 years, 72 days
5
Németh Károly -Fortepan
Károly Németh
Károly Németh
(1922–2008)
25 June 1987 29 June 1988 1 year, 4 days
6
Straub F. Brunó3 (cropped)
Brunó Ferenc Straub
Brunó Ferenc Straub
(1914–1996)
29 June 1988 23 October 1989 1 year, 116 days Independent

Leader of the Hungarian Working People's Party / Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party

In a communist system, the leader of the main political party often holds the most power. Parties       MDP–MSZMP

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title Notes
Started Ended How long
1
Mátyás Rákosi General Secretary of the Hungarian Communist Party
Mátyás Rákosi
Mátyás Rákosi
(1892–1971)
12 June 1948 28 June 1953 8 years, 36 days MDP General Secretary Also Prime Minister (1952–1953)
28 June 1953 18 July 1956 First Secretary
2
Enro Gero (Hongarije), Bestanddeelnr 914-2279 (cropped)
Ernő Gerő
Ernő Gerő
(1898–1980)
18 July 1956 25 October 1956 99 days
3
János Kádár (fototeca.iiccr.ro)
János Kádár
János Kádár
(1912–1989)
25 October 1956 31 October 1956 31 years, 210 days Also Prime Minister (1956–1958 and 1961–1965)
(3) 31 October 1956 28 March 1985 MSZMP
28 March 1985 22 May 1988 General Secretary
4
Grósz Károly
Károly Grósz
Károly Grósz
(1930–1996)
22 May 1988 26 June 1989 1 year, 35 days Also Prime Minister (1987–1988)
5
Nyers Rezső 1970
Rezső Nyers
Rezső Nyers
(1923–2018)
26 June 1989 7 October 1989 103 days Party President

Hungarian Republic / Hungary (from 1989)

Since 1989, Hungary has been a democratic republic. The head of state is the President of the Republic, chosen by the people or their representatives. Parties       MSZP       SZDSZ       Fidesz       Independent

No. Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Time in office Political party Job Title Term
(Election)
Started Ended How long
Szűrös Mátyás (Heti Válasz)
Mátyás Szűrös
Mátyás Szűrös
(born 1933)
23 October 1989 2 May 1990 191 days MSZP Provisional President of the Republic
GönczÁrpád
Árpád Göncz
Árpád Göncz
(1922–2015)
2 May 1990 2 August 1990 10 years, 93 days SZDSZ Acting President of the Republic
1 3 August 1990 2 August 1995 President of the Republic 1 (1990)
3 August 1995 3 August 2000 2 (1995)
2
Ferenc Mádl
Ferenc Mádl
Ferenc Mádl
(1931–2011)
4 August 2000 4 August 2005 5 years Independent 3 (2000)
3
László Sólyom
László Sólyom
László Sólyom
(1942–2023)
5 August 2005 5 August 2010 5 years 4 (2005)
4
SchmittPal-2011-01
Pál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt
(born 1942)
6 August 2010 2 April 2012
(resigned)
1 year, 240 days Fidesz 5 (2010)
17 02 2022 Encontro com o Presidente da Assembleia Nacional, László Köver (51887780433)
László Kövér
László Kövér
(born 1959)
2 April 2012 10 May 2012 38 days Acting President of the Republic
5
Ader Janos
János Áder
János Áder
(born 1959)
10 May 2012 9 May 2017 10 years President of the Republic 6 (2012)
10 May 2017 10 May 2022 7 (2017)
6
Katalin Novák, 2023 (cropped)
Katalin Novák
Katalin Novák
(born 1977)
10 May 2022 26 February 2024
(resigned)
1 year, 292 days 8 (2022)
17 02 2022 Encontro com o Presidente da Assembleia Nacional, László Köver (51887780433)
László Kövér
László Kövér
(born 1959)
26 February 2024 5 March 2024 8 days Acting President of the Republic
7
Sulyok Tamás hivatalos portréja (cropped)
Tamás Sulyok
Tamás Sulyok
(born 1956)
5 March 2024 Incumbent 1 year, 143 days Independent President of the Republic 9 (2024)

Timeline of Hungarian Heads of State

This timeline shows when each head of state served.

Tamás Sulyok Katalin Novák János Áder László Kövér Pál Schmitt László Sólyom Ferenc Mádl Árpád Göncz Mátyás Szűrös Brunó Ferenc Straub Rezső Nyers Károly Grósz Károly Németh Pál Losonczi János Kádár Ernő Gerő István Dobi Sándor Rónai Mátyás Rákosi Árpád Szakasits Zoltán Tildy High National Council Béla Miklós Ferenc Szálasi Miklós Horthy Károly Huszár István Friedrich Archduke Joseph August of Austria Gyula Peidl Sándor Garbai Mihály Károlyi Artúr Görgei Lajos Kossuth

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Presidentes de Hungría para niños

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