After the parliamentary elections, Viktor Orbán, leader of the FIDESZ-Magyar Polgári Párt (Alliance of Young Democrats-Hungarian Civic Party), received a mandate from the president of the republic to form a government and to submit his government programme to parliament. He was elected by parliament as prime minister in June 1998. The new government is composed of the prime minister and 17 ministers. Of the latter, 12 were nominated by FIDESZ-MPP, four represent the Independent Small-Holders’ Party, and one was proposed by the third coalition partner, the Hungarian Democratic Forum. The new coalition has an absolute majority in parliament (with some 55 per cent of the seats). The next regular parliamentary elections are scheduled for spring 2002. The president of the republic is Árpád Göncz. In 1995, he was re-elected by parliament for a five-year term of office. Parliament has approved the new government programme for the next four years. Its priorities include the development of the social state; the maintenance of citizens’ security in all spheres of life; and the fostering of economic growth.