Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok is set to vacate his position at midnight on Sunday after signing a constitutional amendment that mandates his departure. The move follows a legislative push by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which sought to remove Sulyok due to his perceived alignment with the previous administration.
Sulyok, who faced the threat of impeachment proceedings had he refused to sign the measure within five days, confirmed his decision on Saturday evening. While complying with the law, he issued a statement criticizing the current government, characterizing the amendment as a violation of the rule of law and a “breaking point in Hungarian constitutional democracy.” He further alleged that the administration had disregarded the “core values of a free society” to consolidate political power.
The Tisza party, which secured a landslide victory in the April elections, has pursued significant constitutional changes since taking office. The party views Sulyok as a loyalist of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose Fidesz party held power for 16 years until their defeat. Orbán has publicly condemned the amendment, labeling it an act of tyranny and urging supporters to protest.
The parliamentary vote to pass the amendment was met with a standing ovation from the 141 Tisza deputies. Former Supreme Court head András Baka expressed support for the president's removal, telling the BBC that the action is a necessary step in dismantling an authoritarian structure established during the Fidesz era. Baka noted the difficulty of dismantling a system designed to persist beyond the party's electoral loss.
Source: BBC News
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