Róna Péter warns Hungary's new administration could repeat Orbán's power concentration

Economist and legal scholar Róna Péter cautioned that Hungary's current Tisza‑led government risks recreating the overly centralised power structure established under Prime Minister Orbán Viktor. He praised recent accountability steps such as the removal of officials like Sulyok Tamás and Polt Péter and reforms of the Constitutional Court, but warned that postponing the drafting of a new constitution until September could allow the existing system to persist.

Róna argued that a parliamentary two‑thirds majority does not automatically grant a constitutional‑drafting mandate and that the right to draft a new basic law belongs to the nation, not just politicians. He proposed that an independent body of experts and civil‑society representatives be tasked with the constitution’s preparation, with broad public consultation – even via digital platforms – to ensure genuine societal participation. He also noted that the April elections were historically significant as the first instance of a regime change driven solely by voters, offering a chance to build a stable constitutional order.

The professor stressed that limited debate time – only five days were given for public discussion on key constitutional issues – is insufficient for a law of such importance, and warned that without a genuine new constitution, the new leadership could become as entrenched as its predecessor.