Minister of Culture (Hungary)
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The Minister of Culture of Hungary (Magyarország kultuszminisztere), officially the Minister of Social Relations and Culture (kultúráért és innovációért felelős miniszter) is a member of the cabinet of Hungary and head of the Ministry of Culture.[1] The minister is responsible for cultural policy, including the arts, cultural heritage, museums, libraries, and the promotion of national culture. The minister oversees state cultural institutions and contributes to shaping Hungary’s cultural strategy both domestically and internationally.[2]
| Minister of Social Relations and Culture of Hungary | |
|---|---|
| Magyarország kultúráért és innovációért felelős minisztere | |
| |
| Ministry of Social Relations and Culture | |
| Type | Cabinet minister |
| Member of | |
| Seat | Szemere utca 6. 1054 Budapest |
| Nominator | Prime Minister of Hungary |
| Appointer | President of Hungary |
| Inaugural holder | József Révai |
| Formation | 11 June 1949 |
The incumbent minister is Zoltan Tarr, who has been serving since 9 May 2026under Prime Minister Péter Magyar.[3] After the landslide victory of the Tisza Party on the 2026 parliamentary election, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the reorganization of the ministry into the Ministry of Social Relations and Culture, nominating Vice President Zoltán Tarr to serve as minister.[4][5]
History
Names and structure
| Official name | Head | From | Until | Portfolio(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Popular Culture | Cabinet minister | 11 June 1949 | 1 January 1957 |
|
| Ministry of Cultural Affairs | Cabinet minister | 1 January 1957 | 21 June 1974 |
|
| Ministry of Culture | Cabinet minister | 21 June 1974 | 27 June 1980 |
|
| Ministry of Cultural Affairs | Cabinet minister | 27 June 1980 | 23 May 1990 |
|
| Ministry of Culture and Public Education | Cabinet minister | 23 May 1990 | 8 July 1998 |
|
| Ministry of National Cultural Heritage | Cabinet minister | 8 July 1998 | 9 June 2006 |
|
| Ministry of Education and Culture | Cabinet minister | 9 June 2006 | 29 May 2010 |
|
| Ministry of National Resources | Cabinet minister | 29 May 2010 | 14 May 2012 |
|
| Ministry of Human Resources | Cabinet minister | 14 May 2012 | 24 May 2022 |
|
| Ministry of Culture and Innovation | Cabinet minister | 24 May 2022 | 9 May 2026 |
|
| Ministry of Social Relations and Culture | Cabinet minister | 9 May 2026 | – |
|
List of ministers
Hungarian Republic (1949)
Parties MDP
Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1956)
Parties MDP MSZMP MSZP Independent
| # | Picture | Name | From | Until | Political party | Cabinet | Assembly (Election) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Popular Culture | |||||||
| 1 |  |
József Révai (1898–1959) |
20 August 1949 | 14 August 1952 | MDP | Dobi MDP |
25 (1949) |
| 14 August 1952 | 4 July 1953 | Rákosi MDP | |||||
| 2 |  |
József Darvas (1912–1973) |
4 July 1953 | 18 April 1955 | Independent | I. Nagy I MDP |
26 (1953) |
| 18 April 1955 | 24 October 1956 | Hegedüs MDP | |||||
| 24 October 1956 | 27 October 1956 | I. Nagy II MDP/MSZMP–FKGP | |||||
| 3 |  |
György Lukács (1885–1971) |
27 October 1956 | 3 November 1956 | MDP | ||
| The ministry was merged with the Ministry of Education (Oktatásügyi Minisztérium) to form the Ministry of Cultural Affairs (Művelődésügyi Minisztérium) on 1 January 1957. | |||||||
| Minister of Cultural Affairs | |||||||
| 4 | .svg) |
Albert Kónya (1917–1988) |
1 January 1957 | 1 March 1957 | MSZMP | Kádár I MSZMP |
26 (1953) |
| 5 |  |
Gyula Kállai (1910–1996) |
1 March 1957 | 28 January 1958 | MSZMP | ||
| 6 | .svg) |
Valéria Benke (1920–2009) |
28 January 1958 | 13 September 1961 | MSZMP | Münnich MSZMP | |
| 27 (1958) | |||||||
| 7 | |
Pál Ilku (1912–1973) |
13 September 1961 | 30 June 1965 | MSZMP | Kádár II MSZMP | |
| 28 (1963) | |||||||
| 30 June 1965 | 14 April 1967 | Kállai MSZMP | |||||
| 14 April 1967 | 13 July 1973 | Fock MSZMP |
29 (1967) | ||||
| 30 (1971) | |||||||
| 8 | |
Miklós Nagy (1932–1974) |
13 July 1973 | 29 April 1974 | MSZMP | ||
| 9 | |
Károly Polinszky (1922–1998) |
29 April 1974 | 21 June 1974 | MSZMP | ||
| The ministry was divided into the Ministry of Education (Oktatásügyi Minisztérium) and the Ministry of Culture (Kulturális Minisztérium) on 21 June 1974. | |||||||
| Minister of Culture | |||||||
| 10 | |
László Orbán (1912–1978) |
21 June 1974 | 15 May 1975 | MSZMP | Fock MSZMP |
30 (1971) |
| 15 May 1975 | 22 July 1976 | Lázár MSZMP | |||||
| 31 (1975) | |||||||
| 11 |  |
Imre Pozsgay (1933–2016) |
22 July 1976 | 27 June 1980 | MSZMP | ||
| The ministry was merged with the Ministry of Education (Oktatásügyi Minisztérium) to form the Ministry of Cultural Affairs (Művelődési Minisztérium) on 27 June 1980. | |||||||
| Minister of Cultural Affairs | |||||||
| (11) | |
Imre Pozsgay (1933–2016) |
27 June 1980 | 25 June 1982 | MSZMP | Lázár MSZMP |
32 (1980) |
| 12 |  |
Béla Köpeczi (1921–2010) |
25 June 1982 | 25 June 1987 | MSZMP | ||
| 33 (1985) | |||||||
| 25 June 1987 | 29 June 1988 | Grósz MSZMP | |||||
| 13 |  |
Tibor Czibere (1930–2023) |
29 June 1988 | 24 November 1988 | Independent | ||
| 24 November 1988 | 10 May 1989 | Németh (MSZMP)→MSZP | |||||
| 14 |  |
Ferenc Glatz (1941–) |
10 May 1989 | 23 October 1989 | MSZP | ||
Republic of Hungary (1989–2012)
Parties MSZP MDF SZDSZ Independent Fidesz MSZP Independent
| # | Picture | Name | From | Until | Political party | Cabinet | Assembly (Election) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Cultural Affairs | |||||||
| — | |
Ferenc Glatz (1941–) acting |
23 October 1989 | 23 May 1990 | MSZP | Németh MSZP |
— |
| The ministry was reorganized into the Ministry of Culture and Public Education (Művelődési és Közoktatási Minisztérium) on 23 May 1990. | |||||||
| Minister of Culture and Public Education | |||||||
| 1 |  |
Bertalan Andrásfalvy (1931–) |
23 May 1990 | 22 February 1993 | MDF | Antall MDF–FKGP–KDNP |
34 (1990) |
| 2 |  |
Ferenc Mádl (1931–2011) |
22 February 1993 | 21 December 1993 | Independent | ||
| 21 December 1993 | 15 July 1994 | Boross MDF–EKGP–KDNP | |||||
| 3 |  |
Gábor Fodor (1962–) |
15 July 1994 | 31 December 1995 | SZDSZ | Horn MSZP–SZDSZ |
35 (1994) |
| 4 |  |
Bálint Magyar (1952–) |
1 January 1996 | 8 July 1998 | SZDSZ | ||
| The ministry was divided into the Ministry of Education (Oktatási Minisztérium) and the Ministry of National Cultural Heritage (Nemzeti Kulturális Örökség Minisztériuma) on 8 July 1998. | |||||||
| Minister of National Cultural Heritage | |||||||
| 5 |  |
József Hámori (1932–2021) |
8 July 1998 | 31 December 1999 | Independent | Orbán I Fidesz–FKGP–MDF |
36 (1998) |
| 6 |  |
Zoltán Rockenbauer (1960–) |
1 January 2000 | 27 May 2002 | Fidesz | ||
| 7 |  |
Gábor Görgey (1929–2022) |
27 May 2002 | 18 May 2003 | Independent | Medgyessy MSZP–SZDSZ |
37 (2002) |
| 8 |  |
István Hiller (1964–) |
18 May 2003 | 4 October 2004 | MSZP | ||
| 4 October 2004 | 13 February 2005 | Gyurcsány I MSZP–SZDSZ | |||||
| 9 |  |
András Bozóki (1959–) |
13 February 2005 | 9 June 2006 | Independent | ||
| The ministry was merged with the Ministry of Education (Oktatási Minisztérium) to form the Ministry of Education and Culture (Oktatási és Kulturális Minisztérium) on 9 June 2006. | |||||||
| Minister of Education and Culture | |||||||
| (8) | |
István Hiller (1964–) |
9 June 2006 | 16 April 2009 | MSZP | Gyurcsány II MSZP–SZDSZ |
38 (2006) |
| 16 April 2009 | 29 May 2010 | Bajnai MSZP | |||||
| The ministry was reorganized into the Ministry of National Resources (Nemzeti Erőforrás Minisztérium) on 29 May 2010. | |||||||
| Minister of National Resources | |||||||
| 9 |  |
Miklós Réthelyi (1939–) |
29 May 2010 | 1 January 2012 | Independent | Orbán II Fidesz–KDNP |
39 (2010) |
Hungary (2012–)
Parties Independent Fidesz Tisza Party
| # | Picture | Name | From | Until | Political party | Cabinet | Assembly (Election) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of National Resources | |||||||
| 1 | |
Miklós Réthelyi (1939–) |
1 January 2012 | 14 May 2012 | Independent | Orbán II Fidesz–KDNP |
39 (2010) |
| The ministry was reorganized into the Ministry of Human Resources (Emberi Erőforrások Minisztériuma) on 14 May 2012. | |||||||
| Minister of Human Resources | |||||||
| 2 | .JPG) |
Zoltán Balog (1958–) |
14 May 2012 | 6 June 2014 | Fidesz | Orbán II Fidesz–KDNP |
39 (2010) |
| 6 June 2014 | 18 May 2018 | Orbán III Fidesz–KDNP |
40 (2014) | ||||
| 3 | .jpg) |
Miklós Kásler (1950–) |
18 May 2018 | 24 May 2022 | Independent | Orbán IV Fidesz–KDNP |
41 (2018) |
| The portfolio was reorganized into the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) on 24 May 2022. | |||||||
| Minister of Culture and Innovation | |||||||
| 4 |  |
János Csák (1962–) |
24 May 2022 | 1 July 2024 | Independent | Orbán V Fidesz–KDNP |
42 (2022) |
| 5 |  |
Balázs Hankó (1978–) |
1 July 2024 | 9 May 2026 | Independent | ||
| From 9 May 2026, the portfolio is set to be reorganized as an independent ministry. | |||||||
| Minister of Social Relations and Culture | |||||||
| 6 |  |
Zoltán Tarr (1972–) |
9 May 2026 | Incumbent | Tisza | Magyar Tisza |
43 (2026) |