Hungary's PM proposes chess star Judit Polgár as new president

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has put forward an unexpected candidate for the country's next president: Judit Polgár, the world's former top female chess player. Magyar announced his intention to propose Polgár for the largely ceremonial role, stating he would meet with the 49-year-old chess legend to ask her to accept the nomination.

The presidency became vacant after Tamás Suylok, a political ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, was removed from office by parliament. Magyar's Tisza party holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, giving him significant influence over the selection process.

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the great honor

Magyar praised Polgár's "talent and perseverance," highlighting her 26-year reign as the world's top-ranked female player and her consistent presence among the top ten players globally. Although Polgár retired from active competition over a decade ago, she has remained involved in chess promotion and advocates for education and equal opportunities through her foundation. She has no prior political experience.

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For decades, the name Judit Polgár has stood for talent and perseverance. As the most successful female chess player in history, she led the women's world rankings uninterrupted for 26 years and was simultaneously among the top ten players in the world rankings.