In brief
Hungary’s parliament approved a sweeping constitutional amendment that will terminate President Tamás Sulyok’s term, forcing his resignation on Sunday. The change follows a power struggle with the new Fidesz‑led government, who has accused Sulyok of being a loyalist to former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In the final minutes, Sulyok signed the amendment, declaring it a breaking point for Hungary’s constitutional democracy. The amendment also removes the Supreme Court head and bars MPs with three terms from running again, further tightening the ruling party’s grip.
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to resign, signing a constitutional amendment that will end his presidency at midnight on Sunday.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party bulldozed the amended law through parliament, citing a “serious loss of confidence” in Sulyok after 16 years of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s dominance had ended in April.
Sulyok was given five days to sign the amendment or risk a prolonged constitutional crisis and impeachment process. He signed the document on Saturday evening after the deadline passed but condemned the move as a violation of rule of law.
The amendment – the 17th in Hungarian constitutional history – not only removes Sulyok from office but also strips the Constitutional Court head of power and bars MPs who have served three terms from seeking re‑election. More than half of the current deputies hail from Orbán’s Fidesz party and are affected.
Orbán called the amendment “an act of tyranny” and has called for protests, although he has largely stayed out of the public eye since the ruling party’s landslide defeat in April.
The ruling Tisza forces have described Sulyok as a puppet of the former government. After the amendment was passed, the 141 Tisza deputies stood in applause as the results were announced, and former Supreme Court head András Baka publicly expressed support for the president’s removal.
The move marks a dramatic escalation in the current political battles in Hungary, signaling a shift toward a more authoritarian regime after the 2010 takeover of state institutions by Fidesz.
