Hungary’s Parliament Removes President Tamás Sulyok in Historic Vote

Sun Sep 06 2026 06:23:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Hungary’s newly elected parliament voted out President Tamás Sulyok, sparking fears of a constitutional crisis and marking a dramatic twist following the Fidesz defeat.

A two‑thirds majority in Hungary’s parliament led to the removal of President Tamás Sulyok, a key ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The 17th constitutional amendment, which is slated to guide the nation until a new constitution is drafted, grants the ruling Tisza Party unprecedented power to dismiss officials and alter key state positions. While the move is lauded by the new government as a necessary break from a legacy of authoritarian rule, opposition parties decry it as an abuse of power that could destabilize Hungary’s legal framework. Sulyok faces a decision to sign the amendment or refer a part of it to the Constitutional Court, with the possibility of impeachment looming. The episode underscores growing tensions between Hungary’s political elite and raises questions about the country's democratic resilience.

Hungary’s Parliament Removes President Tamás Sulyok in Historic Vote

In a decisive turn of events, Hungary’s parliament has voted to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office, following a landslide victory of the Tisza Party in early May. The two‑thirds majority enabled the passage of the 17th amendment to the constitution, effectively terminating Sulyok’s term and that of key Constitutional Court judge Péter Polt.

Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government sees the amendment as a necessary step to break the grip of the former Orbán administration, who had since 2010 re‑oriented state institutions to favor Fidesz loyalists. The amendment also bars parliamentary deputies who have served three terms from re‑running, an action that will affect more than half of the current Fidesz representatives.

Sulyok now has five days to either sign the amendment or refer the disputed portion to the Constitutional Court. If he refers it, Magyar has pledged to launch impeachment proceedings, which would suspend him automatically. Alternatively, a resignation could avert a constitutional crisis.

The opposition Fidesz party departed parliament before the vote, accusing the majority of constructing a tyranny and claiming the amendment grants arbitrary dismissal powers to the government. The Fidesz camp argues that the amendment’s broad language could undermine the principles that have governed Hungary since 1989.

Former Supreme Court head András Baka welcomed the president’s removal, citing Fidesz’s seamless capture of independent state institutions over the past decade. He warned that dismantling a sophisticated authoritarian regime—designed to survive electoral defeat—is difficult.

The political upheaval follows a dramatic shift after April’s elections, where Fidesz suffered a double loss, blunted by Viktor Orbán’s absence from public life. Unlike the anti‑government parties, the new Tisza administration emphasises vigilance against the past Government’s overreach, advocating for a return to rule of law until a new constitution is drafted within two or three years.