The minister of defence of Hungary () is a member of the Government of Hungary and the head of the Ministry of Defence. The defence minister appoints the Chief of General Staff of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The current defence minister is Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi.
The position was called People's Commissar of War () during the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919 and Minister of War () during two short periods of Hungarian history: at the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and during a very short chaotic term (less than two years) after World War I, when three political transformations took place.
Ministers of War (1848–1849) Hungarian Kingdom (1848–1849) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly—Lajos Batthyány(1807–1849)acting7 April 184823 May 1848Opposition PartyBatthyányLast Diet1Lázár Mészáros(1796–1858)23 May 18482 October 1848Military1 (1848)(1)2 October 184814 April 1849Peace PartyCommittee of National Defence
Hungarian State (1849) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly(1)Lázár Mészáros(1796–1858)acting14 April 18491 May 1849Peace PartyCommittee of National Defence1 (1848)1 May 18496 May 1849Szemere2Artúr Görgei(1818–1916)7 May 18497 July 1849Military3Lajos Aulich(1793–1849)14 July 184911 August 1849Military
After the collapse of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Kingdom became an integral part of the Austrian Empire until 1867, when dual Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was created.
Ministers of Defence (1867–1918) From 1867 to 1918 there was a Honvédministerium responsible for the military of the Hungarian half of Austria-Hungary and a Ministry of Defence for the military of the Austrian half, along with a Ministry of War with responsibility for Austria-Hungary as a whole.
Hungarian Kingdom (1867–1918) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Gyula Andrássy(1823–1890)17 February 186714 November 1871Deák PartyAndrássyDP3 (1865)4 (1869)2Menyhért Lónyay(1822–1884)14 November 18714 December 1872Deák PartyLónyayDP5 (1872)3József Szlávy(1818–1900)acting4 December 187215 December 1872Deák PartySzlávyDP4Béla Szende(1823–1882)15 December 187221 March 1874Independent21 March 18742 March 1875BittóDP–BK2 March 187520 October 1875WenckheimSZP20 October 187518 August 1882(died in office)K. TiszaSZP6 (1875)7 (1878)8 (1881)5Gedeon Ráday(1841–1883)19 August 188226 December 1883(died in office)Liberal Party—Béla Orczy(1822–1917)acting2 January 188428 October 1884Liberal Party9 (1884)6Géza Fejérváry(1833–1914)28 October 188413 March 1890Independent10 (1887)13 March 189019 November 1892SzapárySZP11 (1892)19 November 189215 January 1895Wekerle ISZP15 January 189526 February 1899BánffySZP12 (1896)26 February 189927 June 1903SzéllSZP13 (1901)7Dezső Kolossváry(1854–1919)27 June 19033 November 1903IndependentKhuen-Héderváry ISZP8Sándor Nyiri(1854–1911)3 November 190318 June 1905Liberal PartyI. Tisza ISZP9Ferenc Bihar(1847–1920)18 June 19056 March 1906IndependentFejérvárySZP14 (1905)10Béla Pap(1845–1916)6 March 19068 April 1906Independent—Sándor Wekerle(1848–1921)acting8 April 190614 April 1906National Constitution PartyWekerle IIFÜG48–OAP–KNP–PDP11Lajos Jekelfalussy(1848–1911)14 April 190617 January 1910National Constitution Party15 (1906)12Samu Hazai(1851–1942)17 January 191022 April 1912National Party of WorkKhuen-Héderváry IINMP16 (1910)22 April 191210 June 1913LukácsNMP10 June 191319 February 1917I. Tisza IINMP13Sándor Szurmay(1860–1945)19 February 191715 June 1917Independent15 June 191723 August 1917EsterházyNMP–FÜG48–OAP–PDP–KNP23 August 191731 October 1918Wekerle IIINMP–FÜG48–OAP–PDP–KNP
Ministers of War (1918–1919) Hungarian Kingdom (1918) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Béla Linder(1876–1962)31 October 19189 November 1918IndependentM. KárolyiFÜG48–K–PRP–MSZDPMNT (—)2Albert Bartha(1877–1960)9 November 191816 November 1918Independent
Hungarian People's Republic (1918–1919) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Albert Bartha(1877–1960)16 November 191812 December 1918IndependentM. KárolyiFÜG48–K–PRP–MSZDPMNT (—)—Mihály Károlyi(1875–1955)acting(de jure)12 December 191829 December 1918FÜG48–Károlyi—Vilmos Böhm(1880–1949)acting(de facto)12 December 191829 December 1918MSZDP2Sándor Festetics(1882–1956)29 December 191819 January 1919Independent3Vilmos Böhm(1880–1949)19 January 191921 March 1919MSZDPBerinkeyFÜG48–K–PRP–MSZDP–OKGFP
People's Commissars of War (1919) Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1József Pogány(1886–1938)21 March 19193 April 1919MSZPCentral Executive CouncilMSZP/SZKMMPTOGY (—)2Béla Kun(1886–1939)serving with Vilmos Böhm, Rezső Fiedler,József Haubrich and Béla Szántó3 April 191924 June 1919MSZP/SZKMMP2Vilmos Böhm(1880–1949)serving with Béla Kun, Rezső Fiedler,József Haubrich and Béla Szántó3 April 191924 June 1919MSZP/SZKMMP2Rezső Fiedler(1884–1939)serving with Béla Kun, Vilmos Böhm,József Haubrich and Béla Szántó3 April 191924 June 1919MSZP/SZKMMP2József Haubrich(1883–1939)serving with Béla Kun, Vilmos Böhm,Rezső Fiedler and Béla Szántó3 April 191924 June 1919MSZP/SZKMMP2Béla Szántó(1881–1951)serving with Béla Kun, Vilmos Böhm,Rezső Fiedler and József Haubrichuntil 24 June 19193 April 191924 June 1919MSZP/SZKMMP324 June 19191 August 1919SZKMMP
Counter-revolutionary governments (1919) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly—Zoltán Szabó(1858–1934)5 May 191931 May 1919IndependentArad——Miklós Horthy(1868–1957)31 May 19196 June 1919IndependentSzeged I6 June 191912 July 1919Szeged II—Sándor Belitska(1872–1939)12 July 191912 August 1919IndependentSzeged III
Ministers of War (1919–1920) Hungarian People's Republic (1919) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1József Haubrich(1883–1939)1 August 19196 August 1919(deposed)MSZDPPeidlMSZDP —
Hungarian Republic (1919–1920) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Ferenc Schnetzer(1867–1944)15 August 191924 November 1919IndependentFriedrichKNP/KNEP–OKGFP —2István Friedrich(1883–1951)24 November 191929 February 1920KNEPHuszárKNEP–OKGFP–MSZDP–NDPP
Ministers of Defence (1920–present) Hungarian Kingdom (1920–1946) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1István Friedrich(1883–1951)29 February 192015 March 1920KNEPHuszárKNEP–OKGFP–MSZDP–NDPP—2Károly Soós(1869–1953)15 March 192019 July 1920IndependentSimonyi-SemadamKNEP–OKGFP17 (1920)2István Sréter(1867–1942)19 July 192016 December 1920IndependentTeleki IKNEP–OKGFP3Sándor Belitska(1872–1939)16 December 192014 April 1921Independent14 April 192128 June 1923Bethlen(KNEP–OKGFP)→EP18 (1922)4Károly Csáky(1873–1945)28 June 192310 October 1929Independent19 (1926)5Gyula Gömbös(1886–1936)10 November 192924 August 1931EP20 (1931)24 August 19311 October 1932G. KárolyiEP–KGSZP1 October 19322 September 1936NEPGömbösNEP21 (1935)—Miklós Kozma(1884–1941)acting for Gyula Gömbös14 May 19367 August 1936NEP6József Somkuthy(1883–1961)2 September 19366 October 1936NEP7Vilmos Rőder(1881–1969)12 October 193614 May 1938NEPDarányiNEP8Jenő Rátz(1882–1949)14 May 193815 November 1938NEPImrédyNEP9Károly Bartha(1884–1964)15 November 193816 February 1939Independent16 February 19393 April 1941Teleki IIMÉP22 (1939)3 April 19419 March 1942BárdossyMÉP9 March 194224 September 1942KállayMÉP10Vilmos Nagy(1884–1976)24 September 194212 June 1943Independent11Lajos Csatay(1886–1944)12 June 194322 March 1944(deposed)Independent22 March 194429 August 1944SztójayMÉP–MMP29 August 194416 October 1944(deposed)LakatosMÉP
Government of National Unity (1944–1945) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Károly Beregfy(1888–1946)16 October 194428 March 1945IndependentSzálasiNYKP–MMP —
Soviet-backed provisional governments (1944–1946) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1János Vörös(1891–1968)22 December 194415 November 1945IndependentProvisional National GovernmentFKGP–MKP–MSZDP–NPP–PDPINGY (1944)2Jenő Tombor(1880–1946)15 November 19451 February 1946IndependentTildyFKGP–MKP–MSZDP–NPP23 (1945)
Hungarian Republic (1946–1949) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Jenő Tombor(1880–1946)1 February 19464 February 1946IndependentTildyFKGP–MKP–MSZDP–NPP23 (1945)4 February 194625 July 1946(died in office)F. NagyFKGP–MKP–MSZDP–NPP—Ferenc Nagy(1903–1979)acting9 August 194621 August 1946FKGP2Albert Bartha(1877–1960)21 August 194614 March 1947Independent—Lajos Dinnyés(1901–1961)acting14 March 194731 May 1947FKGP31 May 194724 September 1947DinnyésMKP–FKGP–MSZDP–NPP24 (1947)3Péter Veres(1897–1970)24 September 19479 September 1948NPP4Mihály Farkas(1904–1965)9 September 194810 December 1948MDPDinnyésMDP–FKGP–NPP10 December 194820 August 1949DobiMDP–FKGP–NPP25 (1949)
Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly1Mihály Farkas(1904–1965)20 August 194914 August 1952MDPDobiMDP25 (1949)14 August 19524 July 1953RákosiMDP2István Bata(1910–1982)4 July 195318 April 1955MDPI. Nagy IMDP26 (1953)18 April 195524 October 1956HegedüsMDP24 October 195626 October 1956I. Nagy IIMDP→MSZMP–FKGP3Károly Janza(1914–2001)26 October 19563 November 1956MDP→MSZMP4Pál Maléter(1917–1958)3 November 19564 November 1956MSZMPI. Nagy IIIMSZMP–FKGP–MSZDP–PP5Ferenc Münnich(1886–1966)12 November 19561 March 1957MSZMPKádár IMSZMP6Géza Révész(1902–1977)1 March 195728 January 1958MSZMP28 January 195817 May 1960MünnichMSZMP27 (1958)7Lajos Czinege(1924–1998)17 May 196013 September 1961MSZMP13 September 196130 June 1965Kádár IIMSZMP28 (1963)30 June 196514 April 1967KállaiMSZMP14 April 196715 May 1975FockMSZMP29 (1967)30 (1971)15 May 19756 December 1984LázárMSZMP31 (1975)32 (1980)8István Oláh(1926–1985)6 December 198415 December 1985(died in office)MSZMP33 (1985)9Ferenc Kárpáti(1926–2013)30 December 198525 June 1987MSZMP25 June 198724 November 1988GrószMSZMP24 November 19887 October 1989Németh(MSZMP)→MSZP(9)7 October 198923 October 1989Independent
Hungarian Republic / Hungary (1989–present) Parties
Portrait NameTerm of office Political party Cabinet Assembly—Ferenc Kárpáti(1926–2013)provisional23 October 198923 May 1990IndependentNémethMSZP —1Lajos Für(1930–2013)23 May 199021 December 1993MDFAntallMDF–FKGP–KDNP34 (1990)21 December 199315 July 1994BorossMDF–EKGP–KDNP2György Keleti(1946–2020)15 July 19948 July 1998MSZPHornMSZP–SZDSZ35 (1994)3János Szabó(born 1941)8 July 199827 May 2002FKGPOrbán IFidesz–FKGP–MDF36 (1998)4Ferenc Juhász(born 1960)27 May 200229 September 2004MSZPMedgyessyMSZP–SZDSZ37 (2002)29 September 20049 June 2006Gyurcsány IMSZP–SZDSZ5Imre Szekeres(born 1950)9 June 200614 April 2009MSZPGyurcsány IIMSZP–SZDSZ38 (2006)14 April 200929 May 2010BajnaiMSZP6Csaba Hende(born 1960)29 May 2010 6 June 2014FideszOrbán IIFidesz–KDNP39 (2010)6 June 20149 September 2015Orbán IIIFidesz–KDNP40 (2014)7István Simicskó(born 1961)10 September 201518 May 2018KDNP8Tibor Benkő(born 1955)18 May 201824 May 2022IndependentOrbán IVFidesz–KDNP41 (2018)9Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky(born 1970)24 May 202212 May 2026 IndependentOrbán VFidesz–KDNP42 (2022)10Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi(born 1973)12 May 2026IncumbentTISZAMagyarTISZA43 (2026)
See also List of heads of state of Hungary List of prime ministers of Hungary Politics of Hungary Cabinet ministers Minister of Agriculture (Hungary) Minister of Civilian Intelligence Services (Hungary) Minister of Croatian Affairs of Hungary Minister of Education (Hungary) Minister of Finance (Hungary) Minister of Foreign Affairs (Hungary) Minister of the Interior (Hungary) Minister of Justice (Hungary) Minister of Public Works and Transport (Hungary)
References