What You Need to Know
• The Hungarian parliament voted to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office on Monday.
• Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party used its two-thirds majority to pass the 17th amendment to the constitution.
• The amendment also mandates the removal of Constitutional Court judges over 70 years old and limits parliamentary terms.
The Hungarian parliament voted to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office on Monday, marking a significant political shift following the defeat of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in April. Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party leveraged its two-thirds majority to pass the 17th amendment to the constitution, which not only ends Sulyok’s term but also affects the head of the Constitutional Court, Péter Polt. Sulyok has five days to either sign the amendment or refer it to the Constitutional Court, with the threat of impeachment proceedings looming if he does the latter. The amendment also stipulates the removal of judges over the age of 70 and prohibits deputies who have served three terms from running again, impacting many current Fidesz deputies.
Why It Matters
This event is significant as it reflects the changing political landscape in Hungary after the Tisza party’s unexpected victory over Fidesz in April 2023. The Tisza party’s actions signal a shift away from the political practices established by Orbán’s government, which had maintained control since 2010. The constitutional amendments could reshape the judiciary and political representation in Hungary, raising concerns about the balance of power and the potential for authoritarian governance. Historically, Fidesz’s dominance allowed it to fill state positions with loyalists, leading to questions about the independence of state institutions.
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