Hungary's PM Peter Magyar moves to replace President Tamás Sulyok

Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who succeeded Viktor Orbán in May, has intensified pressure on President Tamás Sulyok, accusing him of misusing public funds on foreign trips. Magyar is pushing a 17th amendment to the Hungarian Constitution that would terminate Sulyok’s mandate the day after the law takes effect and give Parliament a 30‑day window to elect a new president whose term cannot exceed five years.

The amendment, slated for an extraordinary parliamentary session on 13 July 2026, also proposes limits on MPs’ service (a maximum of 12 years or three terms), an age ceiling of 70 for constitutional court judges, the creation of a National Asset Recovery Office and other institutional changes. Magyar warned that Sulyok has five days to sign the amendment; otherwise removal procedures can be initiated.

Opposition parties, legal experts and human‑rights groups argue the changes threaten the rule of law and concentrate power in the hands of the Tisza‑majority government. Pro‑government Fidesz organised protests, while the European Commission’s Venice Commission has been asked to review the proposal. The move marks the most significant constitutional overhaul in Hungary since Viktor Orbán’s long‑standing rule.