Civilians to protest in support of Hungarian officials facing resignation calls

A demonstration is planned for Saturday in Budapest to express solidarity with Hungarian public officials facing calls for resignation, particularly targeting President Tamás Sulyok. Organized by civilians, the event at the Sándor Palace aims to defend the independence of constitutional institutions against what they perceive as political pressure.

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Forcibly removing a president from office is something that happens in a dictatorship.

The list of targeted officials includes the President, the head of the Curia (Supreme Court), the chief prosecutor, and heads of various state institutions, including the National Media and Infocommunications Authority and the Constitutional Court. The ruling Fidesz party has publicly supported the President, with parliamentary group leader Gergely Gulyás stating that forcibly removing a president is characteristic of a dictatorship.

Constitutional law experts have also weighed in, criticizing the demands for the officials' removal. Zoltán Lomnici Jr., a constitutional lawyer, recalled a past instance where President Árpád Göncz was booed and called to resign but faced no legal consequences, emphasizing that presidential mandates can only be terminated through legally defined procedures. He stressed that significant political or societal pressure cannot override constitutional frameworks.

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In Hungarian public law, there are examples of political pressure, but not much more.

Law professor Péter Hack further analyzed the situation, advising his students to prioritize strong arguments over inflammatory language in debates. He noted that discussions should focus on positions, not personal attacks. Hack observed that the Tisza Party, which has been vocal in demanding the president's removal, has not presented sufficient legal arguments. He pointed out that the nomination and election processes for the presidency have remained largely consistent since 1990, and the arguments for extraordinary measures do not apply to the president's case.

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Even significant political or social pressure cannot override public law frameworks.

Hack acknowledged that the new government and majority might find ways to remove the president but warned this could lead them into a trap, implying potential legal or political repercussions for circumventing established norms.

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Those who use strong adjectives in a debate have weak arguments. One should debate positions, not people; those who resort to personal attacks have no arguments.