Hungary advances county restoration and prepares to elect new president

The Hungarian government plans to revert the former “vármegyék” back to traditional counties, a change that would affect 180 laws and replace prefects with government appointees. The Ministry of Rural Development estimates the reform will cost about 557 million forint, though the full budgetary impact remains unclear. Prime Minister Magyar Péter announced the proposal, emphasizing a shift toward a “modern European state.”

In parallel, the parliament is set to debate a constitutional amendment that would end the term of President Sulyok Tamás and trigger a presidential election, potentially as early as summer. Speaker Forsthoffer Ágnes will assume interim presidential duties, while various party figures and public petitions name possible candidates such as Rost Andrea and Polgár Judit. The amendment requires a two‑thirds majority and cannot be vetoed by a presidential veto.

Both measures are part of a broader political agenda to reshape Hungary’s administrative and executive structures.