Hungarian President Signs Constitutional Amendment Barring Orbán from Returning as Prime Minister
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok on Friday approved a constitutional amendment limiting the prime minister's term to eight years, effectively preventing Viktor Orbán from returning to office after 16 years in power.
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment on Friday that prevents Viktor Orbán from returning to the post of prime minister. The amendment restricts the total time a person can serve as prime minister to eight years, including any breaks. It applies to anyone who has held the position since May 2, 1990, thus covering Orbán, who has been in power for 16 years.
The Hungarian parliament approved the amendment earlier this week with a significant majority, after which it was sent to the president for signature. In a Facebook post, Sulyok described the law as "practically unique both in Europe and worldwide."
Notably, politician Péter Magyar has been attempting to remove President Sulyok from office, accusing him of being a "puppet" of Viktor Orbán's regime. Sulyok rejected Magyar's demand for resignation, leading to what the president calls a "constitutional crisis." On June 1, Magyar announced planned steps to oust Sulyok.
The constitutional change marks a significant shift in Hungarian politics by introducing clear term limits for the head of government.
