Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok signed a parliamentary amendment to the Constitution on Saturday, July 18, that mandates the early termination of his presidential powers, DW reported.
Sulyok announced the signing in a video address, stating that he evaluated his legal rights and chose to sign the document to “fulfill his obligations enshrined in the Basic Law.”
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Despite signing the amendment, Sulyok publicly expressed his disagreement with the parliament’s decision. He characterized the constitutional amendment as an abuse of political power, stating it would serve as a “shameful historical example” for future generations. Sulyok further asserted that following the legislative changes, the Hungarian presidency ceases to function as a system of checks and balances within the government.
The Hungarian parliament approved the amendment to remove Sulyok from office on July 13, passing the measure with 139 votes in favor and six against. Under Hungarian law, parliament is now required to elect a new president within 30 days of the incumbent’s departure.
Constitutional overhaul in Hungary
The early termination of the presidency is part of a wider series of constitutional and legislative changes initiated by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who ousted former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the April elections. Magyar’s party secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority, enabling it to alter the constitution and roll back legislation passed during Orbán’s 16-year tenure.
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On June 16, parliament approved a separate constitutional amendment capping prime ministerial service at a maximum of eight years, or two terms. The legislation specifies that individuals who have already served as prime minister for at least eight years since May 2, 1990, are ineligible for election to the office, effectively barring Orbán from returning to power.
Magyar’s parliamentary majority has also moved to dismantle several institutions established under the previous government. Recent amendments paved the way for the dissolution of the Sovereignty Protection Office, an agency created by Orbán’s administration that had targeted opposition figures and journalists.
Additionally, the legislature transferred the founding rights of public-interest asset-management foundations back to the state, reversing the Orbán government’s transfer of state assets to these entities.
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