Hungary's New Prime Minister Vows Constitutional Amendment to Oust President Tamás Sulyok

Hungary's new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, has declared the government will amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok, following Sulyok's persistent refusal to step down. Magyar, whose Tisza party secured a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly in April, had set a 31 May deadline for Sulyok's resignation.

Sulyok, installed in February 2024 by Orbán's party without direct election, maintains he will serve his full five-year term, asserting that his removal would deepen social divisions and damage Hungary's international standing. This stand-off presents the new government with a constitutional challenge from a figure tied to the previous administration.

Magyar, who has accused Sulyok of failing to uphold the rule of law and being unworthy of national representation, stated the process to remove the President would take approximately one month. His party's legislative majority grants them the authority to enact constitutional changes, a crucial mechanism for dismantling Orbán-era reforms.

The presidential role in Hungary, while largely ceremonial, includes practical functions such as confirming public appointments and referring legislation to parliament or the constitutional court. Sulyok's refusal to cooperate could hinder the new government's reform agenda. His claims regarding potential threats to the unlocking of EU funds, previously withheld due to democratic backsliding under Orbán, coincide with recent EU indications that reforms could release €16.4 billion in funding for Budapest.