Hungarian PM Magyar Moves to Amend Constitution After President Sulyok Refuses Resignation Ultimatum
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced plans to amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok after the president refused to resign by a May 31 deadline, setting up a constitutional confrontation in Budapest.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on Monday that his government would move to amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok, after the president refused to resign by a May 31 deadline. The move marks a dramatic escalation in Magyar's campaign to purge officials appointed under former populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
- Tisza party wins parliamentary elections, securing two-thirds majority
- Deadline set by Magyar for President Sulyok to resign expires; Sulyok refuses
- Magyar meets Sulyok, then announces constitutional amendment to remove president
- Approximate end of one-month legislative process to oust Sulyok
Background
Magyar's centre-right Tisza party won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections on April 12, 2026, ending Orbán's 16-year rule and securing a two-thirds supermajority. Since then, Magyar has repeatedly called for Sulyok, elected by Orbán's Fidesz party in early 2024, to step down, accusing him of serving Orbán's interests and failing to represent national unity. The presidency in Hungary is largely ceremonial, but the president can refer legislation back to parliament or send it to the Constitutional Court, potentially obstructing the new government's reform agenda.
Ultimatum and Rejection
Magyar gave Sulyok a deadline of May 31 to resign, warning that otherwise he would use his parliamentary majority to remove him. Sulyok rejected the ultimatum in a Facebook video on Sunday evening, insisting he would continue in his role and cooperate with the government. In an earlier statement, Sulyok's office said the demand "adversely affect[s] both the constitutional functioning and the authority" of the presidency.
Constitutional Clash
On Monday morning, Magyar met Sulyok at the Sándor Palace in Budapest, accompanied by Justice Minister Márta Görög. Afterwards, Magyar told a news conference that the president had refused to resign and that he would immediately begin the legislative process to oust him.
The prime minister estimated the process would take about a month and involve constitutional amendments to allow removal of figures from the Orbán era.I have told the President that if he maintains his stance and does not resign, I will inform the lawmakers of Tisza about our legislative proposals today and we will immediately start the necessary procedures.
Hungary does not belong to Tamás Sulyok, nor to Viktor Orbán. It doesn't belong to a single party or political system.
Reactions and Implications
Sulyok warned on Facebook that the constitutional crisis would "deepen divisions and harm the international reputation of Hungarian democracy." Orbán's Fidesz party accused Magyar of issuing an "unlawful ultimatum," arguing that Sulyok's mandate runs until 2029 and cannot be cut short. Meanwhile, Magyar defended his move as necessary to restore democratic institutions.
The showdown is being closely watched as a test of Hungary's fragile democratic transition.It is in Hungary's interest that this institution — the office of the president — regain the prestige that has been eroded by its silence and inaction.
