Péter Magyar ends President Tamás Sulyok’s mandate via constitutional amendment
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has formally advanced plans to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office through a constitutional amendment, part of a broader effort to dismantle institutional remnants of Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule.
Magyar announced in a post on X on Saturday that his government had submitted the 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law, which includes ending the current President’s mandate alongside other reforms such as term limits for MPs, judicial independence measures, and the creation of a National Asset Recovery Office.
Following his Tisza Party’s landslide victory in the April 2026 parliamentary elections, which secured a two-thirds supermajority, Magyar repeatedly urged Sulyok – appointed by a Fidesz-dominated parliament in 2024 – to resign. After Sulyok refused a 31 May deadline, the government announced it would pursue removal via the 17th Amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law.
The draft amendment, submitted to parliament on Saturday, after public consultation, explicitly states that the incumbent president’s mandate would terminate the day after the amendment enters into force. Parliament would then elect a new president for a maximum five-year term or until a new constitution is adopted.
Magyar has described the move as essential to restoring democratic checks and balances, accusing Sulyok of acting as Orbán’s “puppet” and failing to represent national unity. The amendment forms part of “Operation Purgatory”, a package of reforms that also includes judicial changes, term limits for MPs and prime ministers, and the creation of an asset recovery office.
Critics, including Human Rights Watch, have raised concerns about the rushed process and lack of due process safeguards. While the constitution already allows for presidential impeachment via the Constitutional Court, the government opted for a direct constitutional change instead. HRW warned that the approach risks undermining rule-of-law principles, even as it addresses legacies of democratic backsliding.
Sulyok has resisted, calling the effort unlawful and referring it to the Venice Commission for review. The Commission is expected to assess the proposal.
With Tisza’s supermajority, passage of the amendment is widely expected, though it could take around a month. The development marks one of the first major tests of Magyar’s pledge to reform Hungary’s political system while avoiding the concentration of power that characterized the previous era.
Sources include reporting from Reuters, DW, and Human Rights Watch.
Caption: Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar attends a joint press conference at the Ministry of Finance in Budapest, Hungary, 26 June 2026. The Eurogroup president is meeting with Hungarian leadership to discuss macroeconomic developments and Eurogroup priorities. EPA/ROBERT HEGEDUS
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