He also said that Mihály Varga (pictured on top), the economy minister, will stay as head of the economic cabinet. Orbán said he wanted to transform the government’s “brain centre” and create a different management structure.

“Serious negotiations” are under way and will continue over the weekend, he said, adding that he wanted the government to be formed as soon as possible.

Orbán said, however, there were no plans to set up new ministries. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” he said. It’s worth keeping the current system with large ministries headed by highpowered officials, he added.

The new government will have “some of the same people” while keeping the “old targets unchanged”, he said. “The people voted to preserve the government’s targets” not for continuity in terms of personnel, he added.

The prime minister said that, like in past years, parliament should pass next year’s budget before the summer break. He said he had already held talks about this with Varga, whom he described as “an extremely talented and experienced minister”.

Commenting on demographics and family support, Orbán said he wanted to sign a comprehensive agreement on the outlook the government can offer to Hungarian women for the next 20-30 years.

“Demographics depend on them; it is their decision,” he said. Having children is a highly personal issue but one that is important to the community, he added. The job of the government is to listen and understand women if they want to have children, Orbán said.

Commenting on the outcome of the general election, he said voters had underlined their support for the government’s essential targets such as economic growth coupled with fiscal rectitude, full employment, support for families, preserving the value of pensions and guaranteeing security by “not yielding to Europe in immigration policy and maintaining Hungary as a Hungarian country”.

MTI Photo: Mohai Balázs