More power for the Orbán cabinet? Minister submits 10th constitutional amendment proposal

Justice Minister Judit Varga said on Facebook on Tuesday that she had submitted the 10th amendment proposal to the Fundamental Law to parliament.

“The Russian-Ukrainian war has resulted in a humanitarian situation not seen since the Second World War and has also changed the economic outlook in Europe,” she said in an English-language post. “In order to meet and counter these challenges, our country must ensure the capacity to develop an effective and rapid national response,” she added.

The constitutional amendment proposal published on the parliament website on Tuesday expands the government’s mandate to declare a state of emergency to cases of war or humanitarian catastrophes in neighbouring countries.

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At present, Hungary’s constitution allows the government to declare a state of emergency, or “state of danger” as it is referred to in the Fundamental Law, “in the event of a natural disaster or industrial accident endangering life and property, or in order to mitigate the consequences thereof”.

The amendment would insert “in the event of armed conflict, war or humanitarian catastrophe in a neigbouring country” into the article.

Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, had said at a regular press briefing two weeks earlier that the government would submit the amendment proposal.