Parliament elects 4 top court judges, new chief

Budapest, November 22 (MTI) – Hungary’s parliament on Tuesday elected four Constitutional Court judges to fill vacant positions, and a new court chief.

The new members, supreme court judge Ildikó Marosi Horcher, legal historian Attila Horváth, law faculty professor Balázs Schanda and deputy ombudsman Marcel Szabó have been elected for a term of 12 years, starting on Dec. 1.

Parliament also elected Tamás Sulyok, already a constitutional judge and deputy leader of the top court, to head the body.

Out of parliament’s 199 deputies, 138 participated in Tuesday’s secret ballot, and supported the Constitutional Court candidates with an overwhelming majority.

The opposition Socialists and Jobbik stayed away from the vote, both parties voicing objections to the nomination process.

Green LMP supported the candidates. Co-leader Ákos Hadhazy said the new members “could add to those who make their decisions independently of the government’s position”.

With the new members, the top court has filled all 15 posts. The body operated with 11 members since spring this year and lacked a chief since April last year, when the mandate of Barnabás Lenkovics terminated.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI