Hungarian PM Peter Magyar Threatens to Remove President Tamas Sulyok

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar on Monday said his government would begin steps to remove President Tamas Sulyok if he does not resign.

Sulyok, who was elected in 2024 by a parliament dominated by the former conservative nationalist premier Viktor Orban's allies, has rejected calls to resign.

Why does Magyar want to oust Hungary's president?

Magyar said after talks in Budapest that the "necessary procedures" would be launched following the expiry of a deadline he had set for Sulyok to step down.

The new prime minister's Tisza Party won a landslide election victory in April and holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, allowing it to amend the constitution.

Magyar has argued that the president no longer represents national unity, as required by the constitution, and could obstruct the new government's agenda.

"We will make the necessary decisions in due course," Magyar told journalists after visiting head of state Sulyok at his official residence in Budapest

"Hungary does not belong to Tamas Sulyok, nor to Viktor Orban. It doesn't belong to a single party or political system," Magyar said. "The constitution states quite clearly that the president showcases the unity of the nation and guards the democratic functioning of the state.”

President accused of failing in duty

Magyar also accused Sulyok of failing in his duties by not speaking out when Orban made dehumanizing remarks about critics and when the previous government passed legislation banning LGBTQ+ Pride events.

Since taking office in May, Magyar has also pushed for the removal of other officials appointed under Orban's rule.

He said the planned legislative process would take roughly a month and would involve "removing all the puppets" who had been involved in "dismantling the rule of law ⁠and ​democracy."

Last week, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was prepared to unblock up to €16.4 billion ($19.1 billion) in frozen funding if the new government continues to deliver on crucial reforms.

The cash flow had been frozen due to what the bloc saw as democratic backsliding and rule of law violations under Orban.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar