Dismantling the Orbán Legal System
Hungary’s Parliament voted decisively on Monday to pass a sweeping constitutional amendment to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office. This major legislative action aims to systematically dismantle the political system built by autocratic former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Current Prime Minister Péter Magyar and his center-right Tisza party holds a powerful two-thirds majority in Parliament. Consequently, this political dominance allows them to seamlessly roll back long-standing autocratic policies. The landmark amendment passed with 139 votes in favor, while lawmakers from Orbán’s far-right Fidesz party completely boycotted the historic session. Prime Minister Magyar firmly declared that this vote officially closes an era and begins the democratic transformation of the nation.
Political Reforms and Impeachment Threats
The new constitutional amendment introduces several major political and structural reforms to restore the rule of law. Specifically, it establishes a specialized office to investigate financial abuses committed under the previous administration. It also implements stricter judicial frameworks and imposes a new 12-year term limit on active lawmakers. Sulyok must officially sign the passed amendment within five days for it to legally become law. However, the president has heavily resisted previous calls to step down from his position. Therefore, the ruling Tisza party has vowed to launch an immediate impeachment procedure if he refuses to sign. Magyar insists that the president completely failed his constitutional role by neglecting to block Orbán’s previous anti-democratic steps.
Opposition Pushback and Institutional Changes
Meanwhile, the Fidesz party has strongly criticized the amendment as an unprecedented assault on Hungary’s democratic order. Opponents even organized a candlelight vigil outside the parliament building to protest the new government’s actions. For his part, Orbán posted a symbolic message online declaring the end of democratic Hungary before traveling abroad. Despite this fierce pushback, Magyar’s administration has quickly removed numerous political appointees viewed as regime facilitators. They also suspended the public television news service, which previously served as a government propaganda factory. Ultimately, the new leadership remains fully committed to clearing out institutional hurdles to ensure long-term democratic transparency.
Reference
Spike, J. (2026, 13 julio). Hungary passes constitutional amendment to remove Orbán-era president | AP News. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/hungary-constitutional-amendment-remove-president-59620a0313e402be3b2cb6db2668f2ee?user_email=bd2c428b35d2f2d999bc6f7e665bad1355a8dd3247b2afc8121729c30cd9a01a&utm_medium=Afternoon&utm_source=Sailthru_AP&utm_campaign=Afternoon%20Wire%20recurring%202026-07-13&utm_term=Afternoon%20Wire