Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok is set to leave office following the signing of the country’s 17th constitutional amendment, bringing his presidency to an end from midnight on Sunday, July 19, and marking the beginning of a new political chapter in Hungary.
The development follows the historic parliamentary election victory of Prime Minister Péter Magyar in April, ending nearly 16 years of political dominance by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Backed by its parliamentary supermajority, the governing Tisza Party passed the constitutional amendment, one of whose key provisions provides for the termination of the president’s term.
Prime Minister Magyar said voters had given his government a clear mandate to dismantle the previous power structure and make state institutions more transparent and accountable. He argued that public confidence in President Sulyok had eroded and described the constitutional changes as part of a broader programme of institutional reform.
The amendment also introduces several other significant reforms. Under the new provisions, lawmakers will be limited to a maximum of 12 years in office, while the retirement age for judges of the Constitutional Court has been set at 70. As a result, Péter Polt, a senior official and close ally of the previous administration, will also be required to leave office.
Beginning Monday, July 20, Parliament Speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer will serve as acting president. Under the constitution, Parliament has one month to elect a new head of state.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Sulyok said he had signed the amendment because he was constitutionally obliged to do so. However, he criticized the legislation, saying he had effectively been left with no constitutional alternative. Refusing to sign the amendment, he said, could have prompted the governing party to initiate impeachment proceedings, which would have immediately suspended his presidential powers.
Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán strongly criticized the government’s move, arguing in a social media post that the rule of law and democratic norms in Hungary were being weakened and warning that the country was moving toward authoritarianism.
Prime Minister Magyar, however, maintained that the constitutional reforms would make Hungary’s state institutions more effective, transparent and responsive to citizens.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed concern over the rapid passage of the constitutional amendment using the government’s parliamentary supermajority. The rights group said the process echoed controversial legislative practices associated with previous Fidesz administrations and raised questions about democratic governance.