Magyar threatens constitutional amendment — Hungary's president refuses to step down

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar issued an ultimatum to State President Tamas Sulyok on Monday – with little success. Sulyok refused to voluntarily vacate his position, whereupon Magyar made clear that he will resort to drastic measures.

Since the peaceful solution has failed, Magyar announced he will amend the constitution to remove the president. The Hungarian government has a two-thirds majority in parliament – a sufficient basis for such an amendment. Magyar called Sulyok a "puppet of Orbán" and sees his departure as a necessary step to free the judiciary and other state institutions from Orbán's influence.

Constitutional amendment instead of resignation

Sulyok holds his mandate until 2029. The president was appointed by Orbán and is considered one of his closest confidants. During his visit to the presidential palace, Magyar had attempted to persuade Sulyok to resign, but the latter refused.

The confrontation is part of Magyar's broader strategy to dismantle Orbán's legacy. The new prime minister had promised to free the country from the control of his predecessor – a promise he is now implementing through institutional means. The planned constitutional amendment would not only affect Sulyok; Magyar hinted that further figures from the Orbán camp could follow.

Deep political tensions in Hungary

The crisis reveals the depth of political tensions in Hungary. While Magyar attempts to reshape power structures, Sulyok relies on continuity and uses the constitutional limits of his office. Whether Magyar's two-thirds majority will actually be sufficient for a constitutional amendment and how the international community will react to such a step remains open.