Hungary Faces Constitutional Crisis After Parliament Votes To Oust President (Worthy News In-Depth)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (Worthy News) – Hungary faced a potential constitutional crisis Tuesday after Parliament approved a government-backed measure to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office despite protests by the opposition and supporters of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The 17th Amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law is part of Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s effort to dismantle what he describes as the last bastions of power built by Orbán during his 16 years in office.

However, legal scholars and human rights groups have raised concerns about the move, while Orbán’s supporters have denounced it as a step toward authoritarian rule.

Yet Hungary’s new government argues that removing the president, whose term runs until 2029, is a necessary step after what it calls 16 years of Orbán’s strongman rule.

PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE

In a statement, Sulyok’s office said: “The powers and opportunities of the President of the Republic are regulated by the Fundamental Law, and the head of state, as before, acts accordingly.”

Sources familiar with the situation said Sulyok could sign the amendment within five days, potentially adding a written note of protest.

However, he could also refuse to sign it and instead refer it to the Constitutional Court.

Commentators said that whichever path the 70-year-old chooses, his removal will likely occur because the Constitutional Court is not authorized to amend the Fundamental Law.

Magyar has warned Sulyok that if he “does not sign the 17th Amendment to the Fundamental Law within five days, impeachment proceedings will be initiated against him.”

MAGYAR’S CAMPAIGN

He has described removing the president through a constitutional revision as an “important step to eliminate Orbán’s economic and political mafia.”

Magyar says his conservative Tisza Party’s landslide election victory in April gave him a mandate to remove what he calls the remaining “puppets” of Orbán’s political system. Sulyok was elected to the largely ceremonial but symbolically important presidency by the previous Fidesz-controlled Parliament.

As president, Sulyok has the authority to veto legislation or refer it to the Constitutional Court for review. He also serves as commander-in-chief of Hungary’s armed forces.

For the constitutional amendment to take effect, it must be signed by Sulyok. If he refuses and instead seeks a Constitutional Court review, Hungary could enter a constitutional standoff that analysts and diplomats say may complicate the new government’s efforts to revive the sluggish economy and restore confidence in the rule of law.

Magyar, rebuffed by both Sulyok and Fidesz, has accelerated what he calls “Operation Cleansing Fire,” a campaign aimed at ending the former governing party’s long grip on Hungarian politics, the judiciary, state-run media, and other nominally independent state institutions.

ORBÁN LEGACY

Hungary’s main state television news channel, M1, temporarily suspended regular broadcasting last week, displaying a message acknowledging its previous role as a propaganda outlet for Fidesz: “Public media should not lie. We are sorry for doing it for so long.” Kossuth Radio, the state broadcaster that for years aired a weekly interview with Orbán, also went off the air.

The amendments approved Monday also introduced term limits for members of Parliament, a measure expected to affect Fidesz most heavily because many of its lawmakers have served multiple terms.

The new rules would also make it impossible for Orbán to return as prime minister if the constitutional restrictions remain in force.

Fidesz and its coalition partner, the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), boycotted the parliamentary session.

Several opposition lawmakers later laid flowers at the grave of József Antall, Hungary’s first democratically elected prime minister after the collapse of communism. His son, György Antall, criticized the gesture.

‘UNWORTHY COMMEMORATION’

“We are always pleased when the memory of József Antall is honored. But it is unworthy of him if the commemoration is not sincere but instead becomes part of political theater,” György Antall wrote.

In addition to removing the president, Parliament also approved a 12-year limit on parliamentary service, meaning numerous long-serving lawmakers will no longer be eligible to seek another mandate under the new constitutional rules.

The parliamentary leader of Orbán’s Fidesz party stepped down in protest, underscoring the growing political tensions surrounding the government’s effort to dismantle the remaining institutions of the Orbán era.

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