Hungary’s new Parliament includes five Roma members [editar]
Beyond the change of government, one of the most significant elements of these elections is the progress in the political representation of the Roma community in Hungary. For the first time, five members of the Roma community (four men and one woman) will hold seats in the Hungarian Parliament.
Hungary has undergone a historic political shift following the parliamentary elections of 12 April 2026, in which the Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, secured a decisive victory, bringing to an end Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power. With a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the new formation not only ensures control of the executive but also the capacity to advance far-reaching constitutional reforms.
Tisza’s victory thus opens a new phase focused on democratic renewal, the fight against corruption, and the rebalancing of relations with Europe.
However, beyond the change of government, one of the most significant aspects of these elections is the advancement in the political representation of the Roma community in Hungary. For the first time, five individuals from the Roma community (four men and one woman) will take seats in the Hungarian Parliament.
This represents a historic milestone for representation in Hungary and across Europe. The presence of five Roma MPs constitutes an unprecedented development in Hungarian national politics. Institutional representation has historically been limited or largely symbolic. This new scenario breaks, at least partially, with that pattern of exclusion.
The entry of these representatives into Parliament carries not only symbolic value but also political significance. It creates the opportunity to place structural issues directly affecting the Roma community on the legislative agenda, such as inequality in access to education, residential segregation, unemployment and systemic discrimination.
Moreover, the presence of a woman among those elected adds a relevant dimension in terms of intersectionality, highlighting the specific barriers faced by Roma women.
For years, organisations and activists have pointed out that the lack of political representation limited the community’s ability to influence public decision-making, a situation that continues to be observed across most parliaments of European Union Member States. The entry of five Roma MPs into the Hungarian Parliament could help reverse this trend, bringing long-standing demands into the centre of political debate.
According to the most relevant data from the latest report published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), several concerning indicators emerge regarding the situation of the Roma population in Hungary.
Firstly, the high level of poverty is notable, with 49% of the Roma population at risk of poverty. In addition, 32% live in conditions of severe material deprivation, reflecting significant shortcomings in access to basic goods and services. In the field of education, 62% of Roma children attend schools where all or the majority of pupils belong to the same community, suggesting a high level of school segregation. With regard to employment, 34% of Roma individuals report having experienced discrimination when seeking work, indicating persistent barriers to accessing the labour market. Finally, 40% of the Roma population in Hungary live in conditions of housing deprivation, highlighting significant difficulties in accessing adequate housing.
In Hungary, the Roma community is the largest minority, with approximately 876,000 people (between 8% and 10% of the country’s total population).
However, it is necessary to wait for further developments to assess the real impact, as this will depend on the scope for action available to these representatives within their parties and on the new government’s commitment to inclusive policies. Representation alone does not guarantee structural change, but it does open a window of opportunity for such change to occur.