The Hungarian Parliament has passed a resolution to remove President Tamas Sulyok. The ruling Tápa Party voted in favor of a package of constitutional amendments with a two-thirds majority, which includes a transitional clause stating that the mandate of the acting president will expire the day after the law comes into effect. Sulyok was a significant supporter of the former government under Viktor Orban.
Following the parliamentary elections in April, the new Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, had demanded Sulyok’s resignation, accusing him of remaining silent about the abuses of power perpetrated by the Orban administration. Magyar issued an ultimatum for Sulyok and other key state representatives to resign voluntarily by the end of May, threatening removal from office if they failed to comply. However, the constitutional amendments will only enter into force after Sulyok signs them, for which he has been given a five-day deadline.
Beyond the president’s removal, the legislative package contains several other provisions. These include the establishment of a “National Office for Asset Recovery and Protection” and the reintroduction of a 70-year age limit for judges of the Constitutional Court. This measure will result in the departure of four out of 15 existing judges, including the court president, Peter Polt, who had been a target of Magyar’s criticism. While the introduction of age limits is considered contentious, experts defended it as a way to diversify the court, which had been heavily influenced by the Fidesz government during previous years. Furthermore, the term limit for Members of Parliament has been capped at twelve years, a change that drew criticism as many opposition deputies now face the option of not standing for election in the next cycle.
