Hungary's Premier Magyar Plans to Nominate Chess Grandmaster Judit Polgár as New President

Sulyok himself described his removal as unconstitutional. However, he sees no legal means to take action against the amendments passed by the Hungarian Parliament. Sulyok is considered a confidant of former head of government Viktor Orbán. During the 30-day transition period, Parliament President Ágnes Forsthoffer is to serve as acting head of state.

Magyar announced a meeting with the 49-year-old for this Monday to discuss his plans with her. He wrote on Facebook that he hopes Polgár will do him "the great honor" of accepting the nomination. His party, Tisza, holds a two-thirds majority in Parliament, which considerably facilitates the election of a new President.

Magyar Announces Meeting with Polgár

The new Premier Magyar sees himself legitimized by his clear election victory to dismantle Orbán's power structures. Orbán was voted out in April and is considered a right-wing populist. Magyar had already announced immediately after taking office that he intended to reorganize the political institutions.

Judit Polgár played at world-class level as a young person. As the most successful female chess player in history, she led the women's world rankings uninterrupted for 26 years and was simultaneously among the top ten players in the world rankings. She is a multiple chess Olympic champion and ended her active career more than ten years ago.

Who Is Judit Polgár?

After her withdrawal from professional chess, Polgár remained active in chess promotion. She runs a foundation dedicated to education and equal opportunity. However, Polgár has not previously held any political office.

Magyar honored Polgár as the most successful chess player in history. The name Judit Polgár has stood for decades for "talent and perseverance." His predecessor Orbán had also publicly praised her as the "most successful player in the history of chess."

The move is unusual in several respects: With Polgár, a globally renowned athlete without political experience would rise to the head of state. At the same time, she would be a prominent symbolic figure for a political new beginning associated with the break from the Orbán era.

Open Questions and Next Steps

It remains unclear whether Polgár will actually accept the nomination. Magyar had announced the meeting for Monday to discuss his plans with her. Parliament has 30 days to elect a new head of state.

In Hungary, the head of state is elected by Parliament. This gives Magyar's Tisza Party's two-thirds majority decisive significance. If Polgár agrees to a candidacy, her election is considered likely.

Political Significance of the Process

Regardless of the personnel decision, the process is likely to attract attention beyond Hungary as well. The constitutional amendments that led to Sulyok's dismissal were controversial in domestic politics. Sulyok's assessment of "unconstitutional" stands in contrast to the view of the parliamentary majority.

Culturally, Polgár has also received renewed attention this year: In January 2026, she attended the premiere of the film "Queen Of Chess" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The attention underscores her international radiance.

With the planned nomination, Magyar apparently aims to place an internationally respected figure at the head of state. Education and equal opportunity are among the focal points of Polgár's foundation work and correspond to the programmatic profile of the Tisza Party.

Should Polgár actually be elected, she would be the first President of Hungary without prior political experience of this magnitude. However, according to the Hungarian Constitution, her role would remain largely representational.

The news was broadcast on 20.07.2026 on Deutschlandfunk. The dpa (Deutsche Presse-Agentur) reported on the planned nomination. Magyar had publicly announced the step via his Facebook page.

Both Magyar and his predecessor Orbán had previously spoken favorably of Polgár. However, approval from the political camp is no guarantee that Polgár will actually take office — her final decision is not expected until after Monday's meeting.

Observers interpret the move as a signal for a fundamental political new beginning in Hungary following Magyar's election victory. At the same time, the removal of Sulyok raises questions about the constitutionality of the procedure. Magyar sees himself legitimized by his election victory to "dismantle Orbán's power structures."