Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok signs amendment ending his mandate
On 18 July 2026 President Tamás Sulyok signed the 17th amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law. The amendment stipulates that his presidential mandate will cease at 00:00 on 20 July, and that the duties of the head of state will temporarily be exercised by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ágnes Forsthoffer, until a new president is elected within 30 days.
The same amendment introduces a 70‑year retirement age for Constitutional Court judges, limits parliamentary mandates to a maximum of 12 years, creates a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, and strengthens judicial self‑governance. It was adopted by a two‑thirds majority of the Tisza Party‑controlled parliament.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the change, saying it restores the possibility of checks and balances and ends the lingering influence of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He wrote, “Megszűnik a köztársasági elnök megbízatása…” Sulyok, in a video posted to social media, stated, “Alaptörvényben foglalt kötelezettségemnek – jogi lehetőségeim és lelkiismeretem alapos mérlegelése után – eleget teszek.” Former Prime Minister Orbán and opposition figures condemned the amendment as a blow to the rule of law and democratic separation of powers.