This article lists the heads of state of Hungary, from the Hungarian Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Hungarian State in 1849 (during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848) until the present day.
The current head of state of Hungary is President of the Republic András Baka, former President of the Supreme Court. He was elected on 11 August 2026 and took office on 19 August 2026.
For earlier rulers, see Grand Prince of the Hungarians, King of Hungary and List of Hungarian monarchs.
Hungarian State (1849)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure Governor–President of the Hungarian State 1 Lajos Kossuth 14 April 1849 11 August 1849 Opposition Party — GeneralArtúr Görgei 11 August 1849 13 August 1849 Revolutionary Army
After the collapse of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the restored Hungarian Kingdom became an integral part of the Austrian Empire until 1867, when dual Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was created and the Hungarian Kingdom was organized as Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen.
Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (1867–1918)
NameReignCoronation Portrait Arms BirthParentage Marriage(s)Issue DeathBurial NotesHouse of Habsburg-Lorraine (1867–1918) Franz Joseph I29 May 1867┃21 November 1916 8 June 1867Buda 18 August 1830ViennaSon of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria Elisabeth of Bavaria24 April 1854Viennafour children 21 November 1916Viennaaged 86Capuchin Crypt, Vienna, Archduchy of Austria Nephew of Ferdinand V, grandson of Francis I Charles IVBlessed Charles21 November 1916┃16 November 1918 30 December 1916Budapest 17 August 1887Persenbeug-GottsdorfSon of Archduke Otto of Austria and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony Zita of Bourbon-Parma21 October 1911Schwarzaueight children 1 April 1922Funchalaged 34Church of Our Lady, Funchal, Portugal Great-nephew of Francis Joseph I, second great grandson of Francis I
Hungarian People's Republic (1918–1919)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure President of the People's Republic of Hungary — Mihály Károlyi 16 November 1918 11 January 1919 Party of Independence and '48 1 11 January 1919 21 March 1919
Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure Chairman of the Central Executive Council of the Hungarian Soviet Republic 1 Sándor Garbai 21 March 1919 1 August 1919 Hungarian Communist Party
Hungarian People's Republic (1919)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure Provisional President of the Hungarian People's Republic — Gyula Peidl 1 August 1919 6 August 1919 Social Democratic Party of Hungary
Hungarian Republic (1919–1920)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure Regent of the Hungarian Republic 1 ArchdukeJoseph August 7 August 1919 23 August 1919 Independent Provisional President of the Hungarian Republic — István Friedrich 23 August 1919 24 November 1919 Christian National PartyChristian National Union Party — Károly Huszár 24 November 1919 1 March 1920 Christian National Union Party
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary 1 Miklós Horthy 1 March 1920 15 October 1944 IndependentVacant (15 October 1944 – 4 November 1944) Leader of the Nation of Hungary 1 Ferenc Szálasi 4 November 1944 7 May 1945 Arrow Cross Party Head of State of Hungary — GeneralBéla Miklós 21 December 1944 25 January 1945 Independent — High National Council 26 January 1945 1 February 1946 Multi-party
Hungarian Republic (1946–1949)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure President of the Hungarian Republic 1 Zoltán Tildy 1 February 1946 3 August 1948 Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party 2 Árpád Szakasits 3 August 1948 23 August 1949 Hungarian Working People's Party
Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Took office Left office Tenure Chairman of the Presidential Council of the Hungarian People's Republic 1 Árpád Szakasits 23 August 1949 26 April 1950 Hungarian Working People's Party 2 Sándor Rónai 26 April 1950 14 August 1952 Hungarian Working People's Party 3 István Dobi 14 August 1952 14 April 1967 Independent Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party 4 Pál Losonczi 14 April 1967 25 June 1987 Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party 5 Károly Németh 25 June 1987 29 June 1988 Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party 6 Brunó Ferenc Straub 29 June 1988 23 October 1989 Independent
Leaders of the Hungarian Working People's Party / Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party The leader of the Hungarian Working People's Party / Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party was the country's de facto chief executive; the officeholders are listed below.
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Notes Took office Left office Time in officeGeneral Secretary of the Hungarian Working People's Party Mátyás Rákosi 12 June 1948 28 June 1953 Also Prime Minister (1952–1953)First Secretary of the Hungarian Working People's Party Mátyás Rákosi 28 June 1953 18 July 1956 Ernő Gerő 18 July 1956 25 October 1956 János Kádár 25 October 1956 31 October 1956 First Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party János Kádár 31 October 1956 28 March 1985 Also Prime Minister (1956–1958 and 1961–1965)General Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party János Kádár 28 March 1985 22 May 1988 Károly Grósz 22 May 1988 26 June 1989 Also Prime Minister (1987–1988)President of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party Rezső Nyers 26 June 1989 7 October 1989
Hungary (from 1989)
Parties
Portrait Name Term of office Party Term Took office Left office Tenure President of the Hungarian Republic — Mátyás Szűrös 23 October 1989 2 May 1990 Hungarian Socialist Party — — Árpád Göncz 2 May 1990 3 August 1990 Alliance of Free Democrats — 1 3 August 1990 3 August 2000 1 2 2 Ferenc Mádl 4 August 2000 4 August 2005 years Independent 3 3 László Sólyom 5 August 2005 5 August 2010 years Independent 4 4 Pál Schmitt 6 August 2010 31 December 2011 Fidesz 5 President of the Republic of Hungary (4) Pál Schmitt 1 January 2012 2 April 2012 Fidesz 5 — László Kövér 2 April 2012 10 May 2012 Fidesz — 5 János Áder 10 May 2012 10 May 2022 years Fidesz 6 7 6 Katalin Novák 10 May 2022 26 February 2024 Fidesz 8 — László Kövér 26 February 2024 5 March 2024 Fidesz — 7 Tamás Sulyok 5 March 2024 19 July 2026 Independent 9 — Ágnes Forsthoffer 20 July 2026 19 August 2026 Tisza Party — 8 András Baka 19 August 2026 Incumbent Independent 10
Timeline This is a graphical lifespan timeline of the heads of state of Hungary. They are listed in order of first assuming office.
The following chart lists heads of state by lifespan (living heads of state on the green line), with the years outside of their tenure in beige. Heads of state with an unknown birth date or death date are shown with only their tenure or their earlier or later life.
The following chart shows heads of state by their age (living heads of state in green), with the years of their tenure in blue. Heads of state with an unknown birth or death date are excluded. The vertical black line at 35 years indicates the minimum age to be president.
See also
List of Hungarian monarchs List of prime ministers of Hungary
Notes
References
External links Rulers.org