Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó Joins Chinese Automaker BYD

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó resigned his parliamentary seat on July 15, 2026, to accept a global executive position with the Chinese automaker BYD. Szijjártó will lead the company's external relations and the development of new business lines, though BYD clarified he will not be involved in Hungarian operations.

The appointment drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who accused Szijjártó of acting as an "outright lobbyist for BYD" while in public office. Magyar alleged that Szijjártó spent his tenure representing foreign interests and securing massive state subsidies for the company.

During his 12-year tenure under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Szijjártó facilitated BYD's entry into the European market to avoid EU import tariffs. This included securing 20 billion forints for a Budapest headquarters and R&D center, as well as an estimated 120 billion to 130 billion forints for a production plant in Szeged. Other state-supported BYD facilities were established in Komárom and Fót.

Szijjártó, who previously received the Russian Order of Friendship and faced allegations of leaking EU meetings to Russia, described the BYD role as an "extremely honorable offer."