Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced on Monday that his government will launch legislative proceedings to remove President Tamas Sulyok from office. The announcement follows the president’s refusal to meet a Sunday deadline set by Magyar, who seeks to purge officials appointed during the 16-year tenure of former leader Viktor Orban.
Magyar, whose Tisza party secured a two-thirds majority in the April elections, stated that his administration would present constitutional proposals to parliament this week. According to reports from Al Jazeera, the prime minister expects the legislative process to take approximately one month.
“I have told the President that if he maintains his stance and does not resign, I will inform the lawmakers of Tisza about our legislative proposals today and we will immediately start the necessary procedures,” Magyar told a news conference following a meeting at the Sandor Palace.
A Constitutional Clash over Institutional Power
Magyar characterized the removal of Sulyok as a necessary step for restoring the integrity of the presidency. He accused the president of acting as a “puppet” for the former Orban administration and failing to uphold the democratic functions of the state. Specifically, Al Jazeera cited Magyar’s criticism of Sulyok’s silence regarding Orban’s past rhetoric toward political opponents and the government's previous legislative efforts to ban LGBTQ pride events.
While the presidency in Hungary is largely a ceremonial role, the office holds significant influence over the legislative process. The president is responsible for signing laws and possesses the authority to refer parliamentary bills to the Constitutional Court for review. Supporters of the new government contend that Sulyok could use these powers to obstruct the reform agenda promised by Magyar’s administration.
In a statement released on Friday, Sulyok’s office argued that the pressure to resign undermines the stability of the state. France24 reported that the president’s office warned that Magyar’s public demands “adversely affect both the constitutional functioning and the authority of the institution of the President of the Republic.”
Magyar maintained a firm stance on Monday, asserting that the presidency must regain the prestige lost through the “silence and inaction” of the previous regime. He reiterated that his government’s mandate allows for sweeping changes to the political system established under Orban, though he did not provide specific details on the exact constitutional mechanism he intends to use to force Sulyok from his position, which is currently slated to end in 2029.
