Hungary's president agrees to stand down after parliament backs removal

Lead

Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down after signing a constitutional amendment passed by the ruling Tisza party, ending his presidency as the new government continues its sweeping overhaul of the country’s institutions.

The amendment, the 17th to Hungary’s constitution, will end Sulyok’s term immediately, according to The Guardian, which cited a “serious loss of confidence” in a leader elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party. BBC reporting said the amendment will end Sulyok’s presidency at midnight on Sunday.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the event from BBC and The Guardian agree on the central facts: Sulyok signed the amendment after parliament voted to remove him, and the change also targets the head of the Constitutional Court, Péter Polt, and imposes new restrictions on judges and lawmakers. The two outlets differ slightly on the timeline of the presidency’s end: The Guardian reports the term ends immediately, while the BBC states the presidency ends at midnight on Sunday.

Both outlets describe the amendment as part of Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s drive to dismantle the influence of former prime minister Viktor Orbán, who lost power in April after 16 years. The Guardian frames the legislation as part of Magyar’s effort to dismantle Orbán’s “bastions of power,” while the BBC emphasizes that the Tisza party used its two-thirds majority to push the changes through parliament.

The outlets capture similar criticism from Sulyok, who warned that the reform has harmed the rule of law in Hungary. Orbán, who criticised the amendment on Facebook, is quoted by both BBC and The Guardian as calling the move an act of tyranny.

Key Claims

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok agreed to step down after signing a constitutional amendment. Reported by both BBC and The Guardian.
• The amendment will end Sulyok’s presidency at midnight on Sunday, according to the BBC. The Guardian reports the term ends immediately.
• Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party used its majority to pass the law change, as reported by the BBC.
• The amendment will remove the head of the Constitutional Court, Péter Polt, and removes Constitutional Court judges over the age of 70, as reported by the BBC and The Guardian.
• Deputies who have served three terms in parliament will be forbidden from standing again, according to the BBC. The Guardian adds that the amendment imposes a 12-year term limit on lawmakers.
• Sulyok warned that the reform has harmed the rule of law in Hungary, as reported by both BBC and The Guardian.
• Orbán criticised the amendment as an act of tyranny, according to both outlets.

Perspectives

Tamás Sulyok: The president said he had no choice but to sign the legislation as it respected the letter of the law, but warned that the reform has harmed the rule of law in Hungary. In his statement, he described the amendment as a “watershed” that “sets a negative precedent that inflicts a deep wound on the constitutional values of democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law.”

Viktor Orbán: The former prime minister criticised the reforms on Facebook, calling them an act of tyranny. He said: “Tyranny is no longer a threat but reality. If this could be done to the president, tomorrow, no one will be safe.” Orbán’s Fidesz deputies walked out of parliament before the vote, accusing the Tisza party of building a tyranny.