Hungarian Parliament Limits Prime Ministerial Terms to Eight Years, Targets Orb\u00e1n's Influence

The Hungarian Parliament has endorsed a constitutional amendment limiting a prime minister's tenure to eight years, fulfilling a core promise from Péter Magyar's Tisza party. This legislative action directly targets former Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n, who led Hungary for 16 consecutive years until Tisza's victory in April's election.

The amendment stipulates that no prime minister since 1990 can serve more than two terms, regardless of whether those terms are separated by years. Orb\u00e1n's Fidesz party voted against the measure, with Orb\u00e1n himself, recently re-elected as Fidesz leader, criticising the move as an attempt to \"exclude a political opponent from democratic competition.\"

Tisza's substantial parliamentary majority secured the amendment's passage with 135 votes to 50, requiring only President Tamás Sulyok's signature to become law. This provision also means that Magyar, the current prime minister, would be limited to serving until 2034.

The reforms extend beyond term limits. Monday's amendment abolished the requirement for an independent agency to safeguard Hungary's \"constitutional identity,\" effectively dismantling Orb\u00e1n's 2023-created Sovereignty Protection Office, which was intended to monitor \"undue political interference\" from \"foreign interests.\"

Additionally, the government plans to target \"Kekva\" public trust foundations, established under the previous Fidesz administration through the transfer of state assets, including companies and educational institutions. The objective is to reclaim these assets for the state or reduce their funding, particularly for entities like the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), which maintains close ties to Fidesz and is overseen by Orb\u00e1n's former political director.

These legislative changes are part of broader reforms aimed at addressing concerns over rule of law and corruption. The European Union had withheld billions of euros in funds from Hungary due to these issues, with the European Commission agreeing last month to unfreeze €16.4 billion (£14.2 billion) contingent on the implementation of such anti-corruption measures. Parliament is now focusing on further legal adjustments required to unlock these funds, including strengthening the Integrity Authority, Hungary's anti-corruption watchdog.