Szalay became MP on February 14, 2011, replacing István Tarlós, who was elected Mayor of Budapest on December 3, 2010. Szalay was appointed a member of the Committee on European Affairs on February 14, 2011 and Committee on Health on February 11, 2013.[2] He was defeated by Dezső Hiszékeny (MSZP) at Budapest Constituency VII in the 2014 parliamentary election.[3]