Hungarian President Says Successor Will Lack Legitimacy
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, who signed the constitutional amendment that forms the basis of his removal from office, has stated that the next president will not have legitimacy because he replaces a head of state dismissed in a manner contrary to constitutional values.
In a video message uploaded on Facebook, Sulyok said that the Hungarian institution of the presidency would also lose its core function as a result of the change.
“The legitimacy of the institution of the presidency, which has remained unchanged since the political transition, has also been lost because the next head of state will take office after a president was removed in violation of constitutional values,” Sulyok said.
According to him, the presidency is now increasingly dependent on the executive branch, while its legal role has weakened and its core function will be lost because it no longer acts as a mechanism of checks and balances.
A system of checks and balances is a mechanism whereby state institutions mutually monitor, control and limit one another’s power so that no single institution holds absolute power.
Sulyok also acknowledged that although the amendment was adopted in a way he considered contrary to constitutional principles, he had no authority to reject changes to the constitution that parliament had approved through a procedurally valid process.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced that from 20 July, Parliamentary Speaker Agnes Forsthoffer would carry out presidential duties until a new president is elected.
According to Magyar, the election of a new president is scheduled to take place within 30 days at the latest.
Hungarian parliament approval
On Monday (13 July), the Hungarian parliament approved the constitutional amendment paving the way for the removal of President Tamas Sulyok by a vote of 139 in favour, six against, and no abstentions.
Sulyok was elected during the tenure of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban and began his five-year term in 2024.
Under Hungarian law, Sulyok was obliged to enact the amendment by signing it no later than five days after receiving the text from the Speaker of Parliament.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar, whose Tisza Party holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, had previously promised during his election campaign to replace Sulyok and to introduce a mechanism for the direct election of the president by the people.
After winning the election, Magyar repeatedly called on Sulyok and several senior officials linked to the previous government to resign.
Sulyok refused the request and last May sought the opinion of the Venice Commission under the Council of Europe regarding the constitutional dispute and the government’s efforts to remove him from office.
In addition to regulating the removal of the president, the amendment also imposes term limits on members of parliament, meaning a number of long-serving legislators will no longer be able to stand in the 2030 general election.
Although the Tisza Party supports direct presidential elections, parliament is expected to continue selecting Sulyok’s replacement under the current mechanism.