Hungarian President Approves Constitutional Amendment Limiting Prime Ministers to Eight Years
Quick Look
- Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok approved a constitutional amendment limiting prime ministers to eight years in office, effectively barring Viktor Orbán from returning after his 20 years.
- The amendment, dubbed "lex Orbán," was overwhelmingly passed by parliament.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A constitutional amendment in Hungary limits prime ministers to eight years in office. President Tamás Sulyok, an appointee of Viktor Orbán, approved the amendment.
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, a appointee of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, on Friday approved a constitutional amendment barring the same Orbán from returning to office.
The amendment limits prime ministers to no more than eight years in office. Orbán served a total of 20 years. The Hungarian parliament overwhelmingly approved the amendment on Monday, sending it to the president’s desk for his signature.
The amendment follows a longtime campaign promise by the Magyar government to introduce term limits, which would also apply to Prime Minister Péter Magyar, too.
In his decision, Sulyok wrote that the popularly dubbed “lex Orbán” was “virtually unique both in Europe and worldwide.” Although he signed the amendment instead of sending it to the Constitutional Court for review, he said that the decision would be “limiting” the will of the people.
Open Questions
- Will Péter Magyar adhere to the new term limits?
- What are the long-term implications for Hungarian politics?
