Hungarian Parliament Moves to Oust President
The Hungarian parliament, under the leadership of newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar, has passed constitutional amendments aimed at removing President Tamás Słyok, largely due to his connections with former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Magyar’s consolidation of power in Hungary continued this week, signaling a significant crackdown on opposition forces. Orbán has faced long-standing criticism for his governance style, deemed illiberal by many. The atmosphere seems to be shifting, with Magyar pushing forward his reform agenda.
This past Monday, the parliament, now dominated by Magyar’s party, voted in favor of an amendment to Article 17 of the Basic Law, which necessitates the removal of Słyok from his presidential role, despite his election to a five-year term that runs until March 2029.
Prime Minister Magyar has labeled Słyok as a “puppet” of his predecessor, stating that the president has five days to either confirm his ousting, resign, or face impeachment. According to reports, Magyar declared, “We have just experienced a historic vote. This constitutional reform is the start of dismantling the Orbán regime.”
The 45-year-old prime minister pointed out that after his party secured over 55 percent of the vote in the April elections, they felt mandated to “dismantle” the existing system and reshape the constitution accordingly.
To date, Słyok has declined to resign and has sought assistance from the Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe that evaluates constitutional issues in member countries. However, it’s worth noting that the Magyars have not commented publicly on their proposed changes.
In addition to the push to remove Słyok, the recent legislation also extends parliamentary term limits to three terms, a move likely designed to curtail the influence of many of Orbán’s longstanding allies ahead of the next elections. Consequently, Gergely Gulias stepped down as parliamentary leader this week in protest of these constitutional adjustments.
This development follows Magyar’s earlier imposition of term limits on prime ministers, which critics contend was intentionally crafted to specifically hinder Orbán’s return to power.
The Magyars are also taking steps to eliminate Orbán’s remaining supporters. For instance, they have shut down the Matthias Corvinus Collegium Foundation, which supported one of the most notable right-wing think tanks in the EU.
Moreover, responding to pressure from the Magyar government, a state broadcaster recently issued an apology for previously airing programs perceived as “propaganda” under Orbán’s administration. They announced reforms intended to enhance the independence and reliability of public media.
