Magyar Challenges Hungary’s President in Leadership Bid
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar plans to amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok, who was installed by former PM Viktor Orbán and refused to resign voluntarily.
Magyar made his intentions clear on Monday outside the Sándor Palace in Budapest, according to Brussels Signal, following a direct meeting with Sulyok. The president was installed with backing from former prime minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party.
Péter Magyar told reporters gathered outside the presidential residence that Hungary does not belong to Sulyok, Orbán, or any single political faction. He had previously called on Sulyok and several other senior officials appointed during the Orbán era—including the chief prosecutor and the head of the Constitutional Court—to step down.
The Prime Minister has accused Sulyok of failing to fulfill his role as an independent head of state and instead functioning as Orbán’s subordinate. Rather than pursue a formal removal process, Magyar said his government would change the constitution itself to safeguard the integrity of the presidency.
His Tisza party commands the necessary votes to implement such a constitutional change. Tisza secured a two-thirds supermajority in the April 12 parliamentary election, ending Orbán’s 16-year grip on power. Magyar, a former member of the European Parliament who broke with Fidesz in 2024, has characterized the election outcome as the dismantling of the political order Orbán constructed.
Constitutional Changes and Direct Elections
Magyar indicated that under the planned reforms, future presidents could be elected directly by the people rather than selected by parliamentary vote. He framed the proposed change as reflecting the democratic mandate given by Hungarian voters.
On May 29, Tamás Sulyok made clear he would not resign and requested that the Venice Commission—the Council of Europe’s primary advisory body on constitutional matters—review the dispute. Sulyok maintains there is no constitutional grounds for his removal and has argued that forcing him out would not resolve the institutional conflict between the executive and presidential offices.
Brussels Watches Closely
The confrontation has attracted significant attention in Brussels. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Tisza’s election victory as evidence that Hungary had chosen alignment with Europe, as Brussels Signal reports. EU officials have expressed hope for improved relations after years of bitter clashes with Orbán over rule of law standards, migration policy, and access to European Union funding.
The standoff marks a critical test for Magyar’s new government as it seeks to consolidate power and reshape Hungary’s political institutions following the dramatic end of the Orbán era.
With information from Brussels Signal
