Hungary’s President Steps Down Following Constitutional Amendment

Hungary’s president, Tamás Sulyok, has agreed to step down after signing a constitutional amendment passed by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party.

The amendment terminates Sulyok’s term immediately, citing a loss of public confidence in the officeholder elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from Viktor Orbán’s former Fidesz party.

Sulyok stated he had no alternative but to formally approve the legislation under legal obligation.

The former constitutional court judge cautioned that the reform undermines Hungary’s constitutional democracy.

He stated on Saturday: “The seventeenth constitutional amendment marks a turning point in Hungary’s democratic framework.

“By removing public officials through a process that violates constitutional norms … it establishes a harmful precedent damaging democratic principles like the separation of powers and rule of law.”

The changes formed part of Magyar’s broader effort to dismantle Orbán’s political entrenchment after leading his party to electoral victory in April’s landslide election.

Orbán, who critics argue weakened democratic institutions during his 16-year tenure, denounced the reforms on Facebook, stating: “Tyranny is no longer a threat but a reality. If this can happen to the president, no one will remain safe.”

Fidesz has since experienced significant leadership challenges and declining public support following its electoral defeat last April.

Parliament, where Magyar’s Tisza party holds a constitutional majority, will convene to elect a successor who will serve until a new constitution is finalized or until 2029.

Following Sulyok’s signature on the amendment, Magyar announced Parliament speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer would assume presidential duties effective Monday.

Magyar declared the reforms “restored constraints on executive power” that Orbán had systematically weakened, adding: “The assurance that government can be reined in, that public assets can be recovered, and that state institutions serve their people enables democratic renewal in Hungary.”

The amendment also imposes 12-year term limits on lawmakers and a mandatory retirement age of 70 for constitutional court justices, which Reuters reports will compel court president Péter Polt, a longtime Orbán ally, to step down.

Magyar had repeatedly urged Sulyok to resign, accusing him of failing to reflect national unity and prioritizing Orbán’s governmental agenda over public accountability.

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