Hungary’s Magyar to amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s government will amend the constitution to remove the country’s president from office as part of new Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s attempt to eliminate officials appointed by the former populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Magyar and Tizsa party won overwhelming victory In the election to be held in April. With a two-thirds majority in parliament, they can make radical changes in the autocratic order. political system Orbán built it during his 16 years in power.
Since his election victory, Magyar has repeatedly called for President Tamás Sulyok, appointed by Orbán’s party, to resign or be removed from office through constitutional means. Magyar had given Sulyok, whom he repeatedly called “Orbán’s puppet,” until May 31 to leave office.
Although it is a mostly ceremonial role, Hungary’s president is responsible for enacting legislation and has the power to refer bills passed by parliament to the constitutional court for review, raising concerns among the new government’s supporters that he could use that power to block its plans.
Magyar met with Sulyok at the presidential Sándor Palace on Monday morning. At a press conference later, Magyar said the president had refused to resign. He said he would instruct his party’s lawmakers to immediately initiate “necessary procedures” to impeach the president, a process that would take about a month.
“Hungary does not belong to Tamás Sulyok or Viktor Orbán. It does not belong to one party or political system,” Magyar said. he said. “The Constitution clearly states that the president demonstrates the unity of the nation and protects the democratic functioning of the state.”
The prime minister did not elaborate on what kind of constitutional amendment would be used to remove Sulyok.
Magyar also accused Sulyok of failing to fulfill his duty on a number of issues; This included Orbán’s silence in his speech. inhuman expressions about their political opponents and critics, or about the previous government’s passing of laws LGBTQ+ Pride event banned.
“It is in Hungary’s interest for this institution – the office of the president – to regain its prestige, which has been eroded by its silence and inaction,” Magyar said.
On Friday, Sulyok’s office released a statement saying Magyar’s calls for the president to resign “will adversely affect both the constitutional functioning and the authority of the Presidential institution.”
The statement also stated that Sulyok requested a legal assessment of the conflict from the Venice Commission, which consists of a group of legal experts affiliated with Europe’s highest human rights group, which is part of the Council of Europe.
