Hungary's Parliament Approves Constitutional Change to Remove President

Hungary's parliament has voted to approve a constitutional amendment aimed at removing President Tamás Sulyok from office. The National Assembly in Budapest passed the controversial measure, championed by new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, with a decisive 139 votes to six. Notably, lawmakers from the former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party boycotted the vote.

Sulyok, who has served as president since 2024, is considered a close associate of Orbán. Magyar has leveled accusations that Sulyok and other high-ranking officials acted as "puppets" during Orbán's tenure. Magyar's Tisza party secured a two-thirds majority in the April parliamentary elections, ousting Orbán's right-wing nationalist government, which had been in power since 2010. This majority enables Magyar to enact constitutional changes.

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Sulyok and other high-ranking officials were "puppets" of his predecessor.

However, concerns have been raised that removing Sulyok could set a dangerous precedent. Amnesty International has stated that Sulyok is entitled to due process. For the new regulations to become law, Sulyok must sign the constitutional amendment himself. Magyar has threatened impeachment proceedings if Sulyok refuses, which would require a two-thirds parliamentary majority and approval from the Constitutional Court.

In addition to the presidential removal, the constitutional amendment introduces other significant changes. It mandates that the terms of constitutional judges automatically end upon reaching the age of 70. This affects four of the current 15 judges, including the chairman, Péter Polt, who is seen as loyal to Orbán. Furthermore, the amendment limits the tenure of members of parliament to twelve years, effective from the next election in 2030. Earlier in June, parliament had already passed an amendment limiting the Prime Minister's term to eight years.

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Sulyok has the right to due process.