Hungarian President Signs Constitutional Amendment Ending His Own Term, Criticizes 'Undermining of Rule of Law'

▲ Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok

Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment that effectively ends his own term in office.

President Sulyok stated that he had no choice but to promulgate the amendment as it had been passed by parliament, while criticizing the move for undermining the rule of law in Hungary.

On July 18 (local time), President Sulyok argued, "This constitutional amendment marks a significant turning point for Hungary's constitutional democracy." He added, "By dismissing a public official in a manner that clearly violates the rule of law, it has set a negative precedent that leaves a deep scar on constitutional values such as democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law."

The amendment, led by the ruling TISZA Party—headed by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who won a landslide victory in the general election last April—was passed in parliament on July 13 with 139 votes in favor and 6 against, surpassing the required two-thirds majority of the 199 total members.

The amendment stipulates the immediate termination of President Sulyok's term, stating that "public trust in the leader elected by members of the Fidesz party, led by then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in early 2024, has been seriously damaged."

President Sulyok, who was elected by parliament in 2024, was originally scheduled to serve until 2029.

The amendment also includes provisions to limit the consecutive terms of members of parliament to a maximum of 12 years and sets the retirement age for Constitutional Court justices at 70. As a result, Péter Polt, the President of the Constitutional Court and a known ally of former Prime Minister Orbán, will also be required to step down.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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