BREAKING: Hungarian Prosecutor General submits his resignation
Péter Polt, Hungary’s long-serving Prosecutor General, officially submitted his resignation on Wednesday afternoon during a visit to the Sándor Palace, the residence of the country’s President. The announcement was shared by President Tamás Sulyok on his official Facebook page, where he expressed gratitude for Polt’s work over the years.
“Péter Polt visited me this afternoon at the Sándor Palace to hand in his resignation. I extend my thanks and appreciation to the Prosecutor General for his work,” Sulyok wrote in the post.
Strategic move towards the Constitutional Court
While no official reason was stated in the resignation announcement, Polt’s decision is not unexpected. The Hungarian government had already indicated in May that it intended to nominate him, along with Fidesz MP Csaba Hende, for positions on the Constitutional Court (AlkotmánybĂrĂłság). On 13 May, the Hungarian Parliament’s Justice Committee approved both nominations, Index reported.
Given the governing Fidesz party’s majority in the National Assembly, Polt’s election as a Constitutional Court judge is widely anticipated. If appointed, he will join the Court for a term that could significantly shape constitutional interpretation in Hungary in the years ahead.
Nearly 25 years at the helm
Péter Polt has been one of Hungary’s most influential legal figures, serving as Prosecutor General in two separate terms: first from 2000 to 2006, then again from 2010 until his resignation in 2025. His tenure has often drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who have accused him of being too closely aligned with the Fidesz-led government. Despite these concerns, he has maintained strong support from the ruling party, which reappointed him to a nine-year term in 2019.
Successor to be chosen by Fidesz-dominated Parliament
Following Polt’s resignation, his successor will be nominated by President Sulyok and elected by the National Assembly. With Fidesz holding a parliamentary majority, the next Prosecutor General is also expected to align with the current government’s legal and political vision.
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