The Hungarian Parliament passed a constitutional amendment to remove President Tamás Süleok from office.
It comes as Hungary’s newly-elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar continues his efforts to dismantle the system and influence established by his predecessor, nationalist leader Viktor Orban.
Magyar’s pro-European party Tisza has a two-thirds majority in parliament, a majority that allows them to push through constitutional changes and undo many of the policies implemented during Orbán’s 16-year tenure as prime minister.
Why is Suliok being evicted?
According to Magyar, Suliok did not fulfill his role by choosing not to interfere with Orbán’s anti-democratic moves, Suliok’s removal was one of Magyar’s election campaign promises, leading Magyar to argue that the majority his party received from the public in the election gives him a mandate to follow through on that promise.
Orbán’s party has called the amendment an “unprecedented” attack on the country’s democratic system.
After it passed with 139 votes in favor and six against, Tisza was applauded by elected representatives in attendance, while Orbán’s party, the far-right Fidesz, boycotted the vote. Orbán himself did not participate in the voting because he was traveling to the United States to watch the World Cup.
The official purpose of the amendment was to “restore rule-of-law democracy”.
what happens next?
Current President Suliok has five days to sign the amendment, which would mean it would come into force. Should Suliok not sign it, Magyar’s Tisza said it would initiate impeachment proceedings against him.
The prime minister gave a speech before the vote and told lawmakers that it was “an important day in the history of modern Hungary and the transition to democracy.”
The role of the Hungarian President consists mostly of ceremonial meaning, but the President is also responsible for signing legislation, with the person in office having the ability to ask the Constitutional Court to review laws passed by the Parliament.
Edited by: Jennifer Cimino Gonzalez