Key facts
- Hungarian lawmakers are set to vote on a constitutional amendment to oust President Tamás Sulyok.
- Prime Minister Péter Magyar has called Sulyok unworthy of the post and accused him of being a "puppet" of former leader Viktor Orbán.
- The proposed amendment is part of Magyar's plan to dismantle Orbán's established power structures.
- If Sulyok does not sign the legislation within five days, impeachment proceedings will be initiated.
- The amendment also includes a 12-year term limit for lawmakers and would restore the constitutional court's power to review budgetary acts.
Hungarian lawmakers are poised to vote on a constitutional amendment that would remove President Tamás Sulyok from office. Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who secured a landslide victory in April on a platform of "regime change" from Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule, has accused Sulyok of being a "puppet" of the former premier and unfit for the presidency. This move is part of Magyar's broader effort to dismantle the concentration of power established during Orbán's tenure.
Sulyok, who replaced Orbán ally Katalin Novák after her resignation, has insisted there is no reason for him to step down, calling Magyar's demands unconstitutional. The proposed amendment also includes a 12-year term limit for lawmakers and aims to restore the constitutional court's power to review budgetary acts, reversing changes made under Orbán. If Sulyok fails to sign the legislation within five days, Magyar's party, Tisza, plans to initiate impeachment proceedings.
While the president's powers are largely ceremonial, Sulyok can veto laws or send them to the constitutional court. Rights watchdogs have expressed concerns about the process, with Amnesty International stating Sulyok is "entitled to due process" and Human Rights Watch noting the move is "reminiscent of (the) Fidesz era." However, jurist Andras Baka argued that such extraordinary measures are justified in Hungary's current context, which he described as a "captured state" under Orbán.