The Minister of the Living Environment (, EKFM) is a member of the Hungarian cabinet. The position has undergone various iterations over the years since its creation in 1987 as the Minister of the Environment and Water Management. The current iteration was created in 2026 under the Magyar Government, under which it assumes responibilites similar to that of its predecessors.
History The environment and water portfolios have previously existed under various cabinet positions from 1987 to 2010. Between 1990 and 2002, the water functions were under the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Water; environmental responsibilities continued under the Ministry for Environment Protection, then, from October 1990 to 1998, as the Ministry of Environment and Regional Development, and then, from 1998 to 2002, once again as the Ministry of Environment Protection.
In April 1988, the Ministry of Environment and Water was established through a merger of the National Water Bureau and the National Environment and Nature Protection Office. In July 1990, the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Water assumed the responsibility of water affairs, taking it from the Ministry of Environment and Water, which changed its name to the Ministry for Environment Protection and kept that name for several months. It later became known as the Ministry of Environment and Regional Development. In 1998 the Ministry of Environment Protection was established after another reorganization occurred in the governmental ministries.
In 2002, the responsibility of water affairs was transferred from the Ministry for Transport, Communication and Water to the Ministry of Environment Protection, which again became the Ministry of Environment and Water. The ministry was abolished again following the 2010 parliamentary election upon the return of Viktor Orbán as Prime Minister, and responsibities were handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Upon the election of Péter Magyar following the 2026 parliamentary election, it was announced that the position would be reconstituted as its own independent portfolio as the Minister of the Living Environment, carving out part of the mandate of the Ministry of Energy; Former director of the Nyíregyháza Zoo, László Gajdos, was appointed to the position.
List of ministers Minister of the Environment and Water Management (1987-1990) Hungarian People's Republic (1987–1989) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1László Maróthy(1942–)16 December 198723 October 1989MSZMPGrószMSZMP33 (1985)(1)MSZPNémeth(MSZMP)→MSZP
Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary (1989–1990) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly(1)László Maróthy(1942–)23 October 198921 November 1989MSZPNémethMSZP ——Miklós Varga(1944–)21 November 198923 May 1990MSZP —
Minister of the Environment and Regional Development (1990-1993) Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary (1990–1993) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Sándor Keresztes(1919–2013)23 May 199022 February 1993MDFAntallMDF34 (1990)2János Gyurkó(1952–1996)23 February 199321 December 1993MSZP
Minister of the Environment and Water (1993-1994) Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1János Gyurkó(1952–1996)21 December 199315 July 1994MDFBorossMDF34 (1990)
Minister of the Environment and Regional Development (1994-1998) Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Ferenc Baja(1955–)15 July 19947 July 1998MSZPHornMSZP35 (1994)
Minister of the Environment (1998-2002) Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Pál Pepó(1955–)8 July 199819 June 2000FKgPOrbán IFidesz36 (1998)2Ferenc Ligetvári(1941–)19 June 200030 November 2000FKgP3Béla Turi-Kovács(1935–2023)30 November 200027 May 2002FKgP
Minister of the Environment and Water (2002-2010) Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Mária Kóródi(1950–)27 May 200218 May 2003SZDSZMedgyessyIndependent37 (2002)2Miklós Persányi(1950–)18 May 20033 October 2004Independent4 October 20049 June 2006IndependentGyurcsány IMSZP38 (2006)9 June 20066 May 2007IndependentGyurcsány IIMSZP3Gábor Fodor(1962–)6 May 200730 April 2008SZDSZ4Imre Szabó(1953–)30 April 200816 April 2009MSZP16 April 200929 May 2010MSZPBajnaiIndependent
Minister of the Living Environment (2026-present) Third Hungarian Republic / Hungary Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1László Gajdos(1962-)13 May 2026IncumbentTISZAMagyarTISZA43 (2026)
Notes
References
External links
Ministry of Environment and Water (Archive) Ministry of Environment and Water (Archive)