Hungary Removes President Sulyok

The update

Hungary’s parliament has voted to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office, a move driven by Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s Tisza party using its two-thirds majority to pass the 17th constitutional amendment. This action follows the April election that ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule and was the most dramatic day in parliament since the new government took office in early May.

Why it matters

The removal of Sulyok, widely viewed as an Orbán loyalist, signals a decisive break from the past and grants the new government sweeping powers to reshape state institutions, including the Constitutional Court. The move has drawn criticism from Orbán’s former party, Fidesz, which walked out of parliament before the vote, accusing the Tisza party of building a tyranny.

What to watch

Observers are watching for Sulyok’s response. He has five days to sign the amendment or refer it to the Constitutional Court. If he refers it, Prime Minister Magyar has said he will launch impeachment proceedings, which would suspend him from office automatically. The amendment also removes Constitutional Court judges over the age of 70, a provision that applies to more than half the current Fidesz deputies.

Sources

• BBC — Details on the parliamentary vote, the timeline, and the political context of the removal.
• The New York Times — Context on the shift in power and the reaction from human rights groups.