Hungary’s Constitutional Amendment and Leadership Change

Hungary’s political landscape has shifted dramatically as the newly elected government enacted a significant constitutional amendment. This amendment ends the term of President Tamás Sulyok, a figure often criticized for his association with former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Recently elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar, leading the pro-European, center-right Tisza party, won an impressive victory in the April elections, defeating Orbán. He argued that Sulyok, appointed during Orbán’s rule, failed in his presidential duties by not countering antidemocratic actions. Sulyok resisted calls to resign, prompting Magyar’s party to pass an amendment for an immediate end to his term.

Sulyok signed the amendment on the last available day, a decision he labeled as evidence of compromised democratic principles. His term will end at midnight on Monday, with Parliament speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer temporarily assuming presidential duties until a new president is elected within 30 days.

Magyar’s administration, since May, has actively dismantled Orbán-era structures labeled as autocratic. This includes suspending public media services accused of political bias and closing the Sovereignty Protection Office, deemed oppressive by critics. The constitutional amendment not only ended Sulyok’s term but introduced judicial reforms, initiated probes into financial misconduct under Orbán, and imposed a 12-year term limit for lawmakers.

Reacting to these changes, Orbán warned of growing tyranny and expressed concern for the safety of public officials. Nonetheless, Magyar defended the amendment as reclaiming democratic values and announced plans to nominate a new president soon.