Magyar Pushes Constitutional Reform to Oust Hungary President

According to Brussels Signal, Magyar tabled a constitutional amendment on July 13 that would immediately terminate the term of President Tamás Sulyok, citing a “serious loss of confidence” in the head of state.

The proposed measure came to a vote in parliament at 5.15pm local time, with Magyar scheduled to address lawmakers ahead of the decision. His Tisza party commands a two-thirds majority in the chamber following its landslide victory in April’s election, which ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure as prime minister.

That supermajority gives Magyar the power to rewrite Hungary’s constitution without any support from opposition parties, a capability he now appears ready to use against Sulyok, whom he has repeatedly described as a “puppet” of the former prime minister.

Sulyok, who served as head of Hungary’s constitutional court before being appointed president by Orbán’s Fidesz party in 2024, has refused to step down voluntarily. He has called the campaign to oust him “incomprehensible” and unconstitutional, and has referred the constitutional amendment to the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe body responsible for assessing whether such changes conform to democratic standards.

If the amendment passes and Sulyok refuses to sign it within five days, Magyar has warned that his party will initiate formal impeachment proceedings against the president.

Sweeping Constitutional Changes

The proposed overhaul extends far beyond the removal of the president. It would introduce a 12-year cap on parliamentary terms, a provision that would bar several opposition figures from running again in 2030.

The amendment would also restore the constitutional court’s authority to review budget legislation and reinstate a mandatory retirement age of 70 for its judges, reversing a 2013 reform enacted during Orbán’s time in office.

Fidesz and Rights Groups Sound Alarm

Orbán’s Fidesz, now relegated to the opposition, organized a protest outside the presidential palace on July 9 in support of Sulyok, condemning the move as authoritarian.

Fidesz parliamentary group leader Gergely Gulyás declared that the constitutional maneuver marked the end of constitutional democracy in Hungary.

In an unusual alignment, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International—both vocal critics of Orbán during his time in power—have also expressed concern over the process, arguing that it bypasses proper impeachment procedures and undermines rule-of-law safeguards.

Public Opinion and Brussels’ Watchful Eye

Polling data from the 21 Research Center conducted in May found that 67 per cent of Hungarian voters supported Sulyok’s removal. The president was elected by parliament for a five-year term in 2024 and remained largely unknown to the public prior to his appointment.

For years, Orbán was locked in conflict with the European Union over rule-of-law concerns. Now, similar questions are beginning to emerge in Brussels regarding his successor’s approach to governance.

With information from Brussels Signal