Hungary's Opposition Criticizes Ruling Party Over Judicial and Election Nominations

Opposition figures in Hungary are voicing strong criticism against the ruling Tisza party, accusing it of unconstitutional actions concerning the dismissal of constitutional judges and the disqualification of parliamentary candidates. The party is alleged to have prematurely removed some constitutional judges and dictated who cannot run in the upcoming elections.

Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the potential for retroactive legislation, which could not only bar candidates but also affect Prime Minister Viktor Orbán himself under the "lex Orbán" law, preventing him from serving as prime minister again. Péter Magyar's movement, while critical of the government, is also noted for making strategic errors, according to László Dornfeld, a leading analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights. Dornfeld pointed out a lack of societal consultation and noted that the new candidate, Baka, bears too many resemblances to former President Tamás Sulyok, both being legal experts with limited public recognition beyond their professions.

Szűcs Gábor, a Fidesz parliamentary representative, commented on the situation, stating that if Baka András overlooks the Tisza party's actions that dismantle the rule of law and accepts the nomination, he would be betraying himself. Conversely, if he refuses, it would mean Magyar Péter has once again scored an own goal. Gábor emphasized that regardless of the outcome, the removal of Tamás Sulyok was illegitimate, rendering any new head of state potentially lacking legitimacy from the outset.

Baka András's past involvement as a parliamentary representative for the MDF party between 1990-91 is also mentioned, though his subsequent career focused on international courts rather than direct politics. The criticism suggests that the proposed candidate is not entirely a "civilian" figure as might be desired, and the overall process is seen as flawed by opposition voices.

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Ha Baka András szemet huny a Tisza jogállamot lebontó lépései felett, és elfogadja a jelölést, akkor magát köpi szembe, ha nem, akkor Magyar Péter újra – immár sokadjára – öngólt lőtt.