Hungarian President signs law ending his mandate amid political shake-up

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment that terminates his mandate as head of state. The amendment was passed by the ruling Tisza party, led by Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, as part of an effort to dismantle the influence of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Magyar, who unseated Orban in April elections, claims a clear voter mandate for these changes. The amendment immediately ends Sulyok's term, citing a "serious loss of public trust" in a leader initially elected by Orban's Fidesz party in early 2024. Sulyok stated he had no choice but to sign the legally compliant constitutional changes.

However, the reform has drawn criticism, with a former constitutional judge warning that it damages Hungary's rule of law. "The seventeenth amendment to the constitution represents a turning point in Hungary's constitutional democracy," Sulyok commented. He added that removing a public official in a manner that openly violates the rule of law sets a negative precedent, deeply wounding democratic values, the separation of powers, and the rule of law.

The Hungarian parliament, where Magyar's Tisza party holds a two-thirds majority, will elect a new president. The amendment also imposes a 12-year term limit for parliamentary deputies and sets a retirement age of 70 for Constitutional Court judges, which will force Orban ally Peter Polt to retire. Magyar has consistently called for Sulyok's resignation since April, accusing him of serving Orban's interests and failing to represent national unity, though Sulyok had previously resisted these pressures.