Hungary’s New Government Ousts the President

Hungary’s new government, led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar, has begun fulfilling its campaign promise to remove Viktor Orban’s allies from positions of power. On Monday, a majority of lawmakers approved the government’s proposal to remove Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok from office.

With members of Orban’s right wing Fidesz party absent after walking out of the chamber, parliament approved a constitutional amendment allowing it to remove a sitting president. Magyar has described Sulyok as Orban’s “puppet.”

The legislation is part of Magyar’s effort to dismantle Orban’s political power base after receiving what he described as a strong mandate from voters. Magyar’s center right Tisza party ended the nationalist Fidesz party’s 16 year rule with a decisive victory in the April elections.

Tisza holds a large majority in parliament, giving it the power to amend the constitution and reverse changes introduced during the Orban era that the party says weakened Hungarian democracy.