On a summer Saturday in Budapest, a constitutional standoff ended with a signature. Hungary’s president, Tamás Sulyok, signed into law a constitutional amendment that immediately terminates his term, ceding to a newly elected government that had sought his removal after a landslide defeat for long-time leader Viktor Orbán.
A rare mid-term removal
The move follows weeks of pressure from Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who triumphed in an April election and accused Sulyok — appointed under Orbán — of failing to check what Magyar called antidemocratic measures. When Sulyok refused to resign, lawmakers from Magyar’s pro‑European, centre‑right Tisza party pushed through an amendment this week to end his mandate. Sulyok had five days to sign. He waited until the final day.
“[Being made to sign the amendment was] lasting proof that the fundamental values of a free society, the rule of law, democracy, the principle of power-sharing, have been trampled on in the interest of power.”
Sulyok’s term officially concludes at midnight on Monday. Under Hungary’s rules, Ágnes Forsthoffer, the speaker of Parliament, will assume presidential duties until lawmakers choose a successor — a process bound by a 30‑day deadline.
New government, fast pace
Since taking office in May, Magyar’s administration has moved quickly to dismantle what he has described as Orbán’s entrenched system, casting it as a “mafia” of political appointees and loyal institutions. The government has:
- Removed numerous political appointees and institutional heads tied to the previous era.
- Suspended the news service of public television and radio, citing its role as a “propaganda factory.”
- Shuttered the Sovereignty Protection Office, which Orbán’s critics viewed as a tool to intimidate opponents and independent media.
- Passed an amendment that also includes judicial reforms and creates an office to investigate financial abuses under the Orbán government.
Magyar had publicly labelled Sulyok a “puppet” of Orbán, arguing the president failed to use his office to curb abuses. Sulyok, in turn, portrayed the forced end to his tenure as a blow to constitutional principles, taking his case directly to citizens in a Facebook video.
What happens next
By design, the transition is immediate. The speaker’s automatic succession limits any vacuum at the top of the state, while the 30‑day clock concentrates political minds on picking a new head of state. The amendment’s breadth — blending leadership change with judicial and accountability measures — signals that Magyar’s team is moving beyond personnel swaps toward structural shifts in how state power is overseen.
For the outgoing president, the timing underscores a reluctant compliance. Sulyok used every permitted day before signing, then framed the act as compelled and corrosive to democratic norms. For the government, the signature is a legal capstone to a wider campaign to unwind the previous administration’s influence in media, oversight and appointments.
Timeline at a glance
| Event | Timing |
|---|---|
| Election defeat for Viktor Orbán | April |
| Magyar takes office | May |
| Constitutional amendment passed | This week |
| Sulyok signs amendment | Saturday |
| Presidential term ends | Midnight on Monday |
| Deadline to elect new president | Within 30 days |
The result is a recalibrated balance at the pinnacle of the Hungarian state. Whether framed as overdue house‑cleaning or as overreach, the constitutional fix now sets the stage for a new presidency chosen under the accelerated timeline imposed by the same law that ended Sulyok’s tenure.
