Hungarian parliament elects Orbán critic András Baka as president in 140-to-6 vote

Parliament elects Baka

Hungary's parliament elected András Baka, a 73-year-old former head of the Supreme Court, as the country's next president on 11 August 2026. The secret ballot returned 140 votes in favour and 6 against, with no abstentions. All 53 MPs of Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party walked out of the chamber before the vote, while the 6 lawmakers of the far-right Mi Hazánk movement voted against. Baka was the sole candidate on the ballot, nominated by the governing centre-right Tisza party of Prime Minister Péter Magyar. He is expected to be sworn in on 19 August.

A judge removed by Orbán returns

Baka served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights from 1991 to 2007. After returning to Hungary, he was elected president of the Supreme Court in 2009. His tenure was cut short when Orbán's government removed him through a constitutional amendment, dated by sources as 2011 or 2012, after he criticised measures undermining judicial independence. Le Soir described him as "the judge Orbán wanted to silence." His election is widely seen as a signal to European institutions of Hungary's change of direction.

Magyar's broader dismantling of Orbán's system

Since taking office in early May, Magyar's government has passed 27 laws and 2 constitutional amendments. It cancelled the states of emergency (migrants, Covid, and the war in Ukraine) that Orbán had used to govern by decree. The Sovereignty Protection Office, which Fidesz had used against critical journalists and NGOs, was abolished. A National Asset Recovery and Protection Office was established with powers to investigate and prosecute individuals accused of stealing state funds under the former government. Public service radio and television have been off air since 9 July as news programmes are revamped to restore independence from their Fidesz-era role as government propaganda.

Constitutional Amendments 16 and 17 limited the prime minister to two terms in office and MPs to three terms. The Constitutional Court's ability to oversee acts of parliament, previously removed by Fidesz, was restored. Magyar won the election on 12 April, ending Orbán's 16-year rule.

Removal of Sulyok and Fidesz's response

The previous president, Tamás Sulyok, was removed on 13 July through a constitutional amendment passed by Tisza's parliamentary majority that expressly ended his mandate. Magyar called Sulyok a "puppet" of Orbán who would obstruct plans to restore the rule of law. Fidesz issued a statement calling the termination of Sulyok's term "arbitrary and illegitimate" and accused the Magyar government of "tyranny."

Under the amendment, the new president will serve until a new constitution takes effect or for a maximum of five years. Magyar has promised a new democratic constitution to replace Orbán's Fundamental Law of 2011, potentially including direct election of the president.

Baka's address to parliament

In a speech after his election, Baka criticised the performance of Orbán's four successive governments, saying that during the former leader's 16 years in power "one party captured the state," branches of power were not separate, and there was no functioning system of checks and balances. He identified deep social and political polarisation as one of the biggest challenges facing Hungary.

Baka said that while past legal and financial abuses must be investigated and prosecuted, political change should not come through revenge.

This country cannot build a common future while its citizens see each other as enemies. Political change should not mean that from now on people will have to be afraid, be silent, or feel like outsiders in their own country.

He promised the broadest possible debate on the creation of a new constitution and said the president's role was to represent citizens who hold differing views. Magyar hailed Baka as "a figure suited to embody the unity of the nation, with an exemplary career in support of the rule of law."