Hungary's Parliament Approves Constitutional Amendment, Paving Way for Removal of President Sulyok

Magyar described Sulyok as a "marionette" of the ousted government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Magyar had accused Sulyok, who has been in office since 2024, of having supported Orbán's policies.

Sulyok described the amendment as a "serious and shameful historical example of the abuse of political power" in a statement on his Facebook page. It is "not appropriate to override the democratic will of the people and the mandate," he wrote.

Sulyok's Response to the Constitutional Amendment

Sulyok has been in office since March 2024 and is a political friend of former head of government Orbán. Magyar had accused Sulyok, who has been in office since 2024, of having supported the policies of former head of government Viktor Orbán.

Magyar emphasized that his center-right party had received a clear mandate to reshape the state in its election victory in April: "It would be a betrayal of the Hungarian nation if we did not amend this constitution."

These decisions return to the Hungarian people something that "the Orbán regime has for many years tried to take away: the certainty that power is limited, common property is reclaimed, and the state can once again serve its citizens — the free Hungarian citizens," Magyar wrote on Facebook.

Criticism from Experts and Human Rights Advocates

According to observers, the seventeenth constitutional amendment marks a turning point in Hungary's constitutional democracy. It creates a "negative precedent," according to one statement.

Political scientist Gábor Török spoke of a precedent: "When a weapon is placed on the table, it means it can also be used (…)." Amnesty International had already described Magyar's plans to remove the president as "unacceptable."

The constitutional amendment is a "serious and historical example of the abuse of political power," Sulyok wrote in a statement on Facebook. This was reported by the online portal "HVG.hu."

Outlook: New Head of State and New Constitution

A new president must now be elected by Parliament within 30 days. Magyar is also planning, together with his party Tisza, to draft an entirely new constitution to replace the "Fundamental Law" pushed through by Orbán in 2011.

The constitution in force since 2012 had been pushed through by Orbán with his two-thirds majority in parliament at the time and without a referendum. Magyar announced that he intends to replace this foundation with a completely new Fundamental Law.

The constitutional amendment also includes a limitation of the term of office for members of parliament to a maximum of twelve years. This rule takes effect with the next parliamentary election in 2030.

Further Reforms: Age Limit and Term Limitations

An age limit of 70 years was also set for constitutional judges and judges of the Supreme Court. The constitutional amendment provides that the terms of constitutional judges will automatically end upon reaching their 70th birthday.

Approximately four of the 15 constitutional judges are affected by the age limit, including the chair, Péter Polt, who is considered an Orbán loyalist. Polt has been an uninterrupted member of parliament from 1990 to the present.

Limiting the term of office for members of parliament to twelve years represents a profound cut into Hungary's political class. Long-serving mandate holders such as Polt must in future reckon with the end of their parliamentary careers.

Magyar responded to the parliamentary vote on Saturday and reaffirmed his position. The constitutional amendment is a necessary step to reorder the balance of power in Hungary.

This news was broadcast on July 18, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. The political developments in Hungary are being closely observed internationally.