Hungary's president ends own term in constitutional amendment

Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment ending his own term, a move forced by new Prime Minister Péter Magyar. Magyar, who defeated long-time leader Viktor Orbán in April, is purging Orbán-era officials. Sulyok's term ends Monday, with Parliament's speaker taking over temporarily. Orbán called the ouster "tyranny," while Sulyok said it trampled on the rule of law.

Constitutional amendment ending presidency

• ▪Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment into law on July 18, 2026, that ends his own term in office
• ▪The amendment also included judicial reforms, established an office to investigate financial abuses under the Orbán government, and set a 12-year term limit for lawmakers

Sulyok removal dispute

• ▪The amendment was passed by lawmakers from Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party after Sulyok, an appointee of Viktor Orbán, refused calls to resign
• ▪Péter Magyar had argued that Sulyok failed to prevent antidemocratic steps by Viktor Orbán's former government
• ▪In a video statement, Sulyok said the move trampled on "the rule of law, democracy, the principle of power-sharing."

Magyar's institutional purge

• ▪Since taking office in May, Magyar’s administration has suspended the public media's news service and closed the Sovereignty Protection Office
• ▪Péter Magyar defeated the long-serving Viktor Orbán in an election in April, ending Orbán's 16 years in power
• ▪The removal of Sulyok is part of Prime Minister Péter Magyar's broader effort to dismantle what he calls Orbán’s “mafia” and remove senior officials from that era
• ▪Prime Minister Péter Magyar said the amendment fulfilled commitments and "returned what the Orbán regime tried to take away from the Hungarian people."

Orbán's tyranny accusations

• ▪Viktor Orbán also warned, "If this could be done to the president of the republic, then tomorrow no one will be safe."
• ▪Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded on Facebook, writing that "tyranny is no longer a threat, but a reality."

Presidential succession process

• ▪Tamás Sulyok’s term will officially end at midnight on Monday
• ▪Speaker of Parliament Ágnes Forsthoffer will assume presidential duties until lawmakers elect a new president within a 30-day deadline