Poles Support Term Limits for Prime Ministers and MPs, Poll Shows

A significant majority of Poles, over two-thirds, favor limiting the terms of both prime ministers and members of parliament, a recent poll indicates. This public opinion aligns with recent constitutional changes in Hungary, which introduced a maximum of eight years for prime ministerial service, effectively blocking potential returns to power for long-serving leaders like Viktor Orbán.

The Hungarian amendment, introduced in mid-June, counts terms served since 1990. Orbán, who governed Hungary for a total of 20 years across two periods, is now considered to have met his term limit. This reform was a key promise of current Prime Minister Péter Magyar's party, Tisza, which secured a constitutional majority in the April parliamentary elections.

The changes extend beyond the prime ministership. The Hungarian parliament also implemented a three-term limit, or a maximum of 12 years, for members of parliament. This limit also retroactively considers previously served terms, meaning many long-standing Fidesz party members will be ineligible for future elections. The Center for Eastern Studies commented that this represents the most profound systemic change since the adoption of the current constitution in 2011, aiming to dismantle the institutional and personal structures established by Fidesz.

The poll, conducted by SW Research for rp.pl, surveyed Polish public opinion on adopting similar term limits. 67.6% of respondents expressed support for such measures. Conversely, 12.4% opposed the idea, while 20% remained undecided. The survey also revealed gender and age-related differences, with men (70%) slightly more supportive than women (65%), and support increasing with age, from 50% among the youngest to 72% among the oldest respondents. Furthermore, seven out of ten respondents with higher education (71%) and a similar proportion of those with higher incomes favored term limits.