Hungarian Government Transfers Kekva Foundations to Appointed Ministers: MCC to be Overseen by Ruff Bálint

The Hungarian government has officially designated the ministers who will exercise the founder's rights of public interest foundation management entities (kekvák) across the country on behalf of the state. The decision was announced via a government decree published in the official gazette of Hungary (Magyar Közlöny). The management of these foundations was allocated to various ministers through the distribution of institutions falling under each ministry's area of responsibility. The decree entered into force the day following its publication date. This step is of great importance in terms of the government clarifying its control mechanisms over the foundations in question.

Ruff Bálint, serving as the Head of the Prime Minister's Office, will hold the founder's rights for three significant foundations. Among these are the Batthyány Lajos Foundation, the Mathias Corvinus Collegium Foundation, and the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation. Mathias Corvinus Collegium is a leading educational institution in Hungary known for training talented conservative-leaning youth. Ruff Bálint assuming this role indicates that the Prime Minister's Office will maintain direct oversight over strategic foundations. The appointment signifies that the subsequent activities of the relevant institutions will be closely monitored at the level of the Prime Minister's Office.

Minister of Interior Pósfai Gábor took over the founder's rights of the MOL – New Europe Foundation. Minister of Social Relations and Culture Tarr Zoltán will be responsible for the management of four separate foundations; among these are the Foundation for Research on the History and Society of Central and Eastern Europe and the Foundation for Hungarian Culture. Minister of Transport and Investments Vitézy Dávid assumed the oversight of the Hauszmann Foundation and the Millennium Scientific Cultural Foundation. Minister of Science and Technology Tanács Zoltan will exercise the founder's rights of the ÉLVONAL Frontier Research and Talent Development Foundation and the ZalaZONE Foundation.

Minister Responsible for Agriculture and Food Economy Bóna Szabolcs acquired the founder's right for the Land for Future Generations Foundation. Minister Responsible for Education and Children's Affairs Lannert Judit will oversee the Central European Education Foundation. Minister of Finance Kármán András will be responsible for the management of the Makovecz Campus Foundation. This distribution reflects a strategy aimed at grouping each foundation under the ministry best suited to its area of expertise. Consequently, the government plans to manage the activities of these institutions in a more integrated manner with relevant sectoral policies.

The Kekva model was created in 2021 by the fourth Orbán government to serve the public interest independently of any government. This structure allowed the foundations to operate under a private law form, designed as an instrument for achieving socially significant objectives. However, the new Hungarian government has initiated a process to end this system. According to previous statements by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, non-university kekvák will return to the state by 31 August, and the return of university-linked ones will be completed by the end of August of next year.