First Orbán Government

{{Short description|Hungarian government}}

{{No footnotes|date=July 2022}}

{{Infobox government cabinet

|cabinet_name = First Orbán Government

|political_party = Fidesz, MDF, FKgP

|previous = Horn Government

|outgoing_formation =

|incoming_formation =

|budget =

|legislature_term = 1998-2002|last_election=2002 election

|election = 1998 election

|legislature_status = Majority {{Composition bar|213|386|{{party color|Independent}}

|background-color =

|border border-color = darkgray

|width =

|per = 1

}}

|opposition_leader = Gyula Horn,
László Kovács (MSZP)
Gábor Kuncze,
Bálint Magyar (SZDSZ)
István Csurka (MIÉP)

|opposition_party = MSZP, MIÉP and SZDSZ|opposition_cabinet=

|total_number =

|cabinet_number = 65th

|former_members_number =

|current_number =

|state_head = Árpád Göncz (Ind.)
Ferenc Mádl (Ind.)

|government_head_history =

|government_head = Viktor Orbán

|date_dissolved = 27 May 2002

|date_formed = 8 July 1998

|imagesize = 150px

|image = Pha01 mariavaleriabridge Orban cropped.jpg

|incumbent =

|flag = Flag of Hungary.svg

|jurisdiction = Hungary

|successor = Medgyessy Government

}}

The First Orbán Government was the fourth democratically elected government in Hungary after the regime change. It existed between 1998 and 2002. Its creation was made possible by the FKgP: the party withdrew 82 candidates in the second round of the election, so FKgP voters voted for the local Fidesz candidate instead, thus reversing the election result. Due to the resignations in the Parliament afterwards, the votes of the way smaller but still large number of 48 smallholder representatives were essential for the formation of the government. The governmental relationship between the two parties was formed by the coalition agreement developed by the negotiating delegations, led by László Kövér and Béla Szabadi. The coalition government consisted of three parties: Fidesz, FKgP and MDF. The latter was introduced to the Parliament with the help of Fidesz. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took his oath of office on July 6, 1998, and his ministers took office on July 8, two days later. The coalition was dissolved in 2001, if not formally, but on its merits: the coalition agreement virtually expired. The FKgP could not even recall Imre Boros, even though the right to nominate belonged to the party. From the moment that József Torgyán, the chairman of the FKgP, was forced to resign as a minister because of his son's so called "cassette case", although he was able to retain his position within the party, but his position weakened considerably: his party faction expelled the party chairman from the group with votes from Fidesz supporters and in violation of house rules. He assured the government of the support of five members who had previously been expelled or separated from the smallholder faction, leaving a majority in the National Assembly for a time. At the same time, the government received external support from MIÉP.