Viktor Orbán portrayed Hungary’s latest constitutional amendment as the death of democracy. Hours later, the former prime minister left for the United States to attend the closing stages of the FIFA World Cup. The timing immediately became a political story of its own, prompting critics to question whether Orbán’s actions matched the gravity of his message.
Orbán published an obituary-style image on social media displaying the words “Democratic Hungary, 1990–2026” alongside a photograph of Prime Minister Péter Magyar. He later accused the government of using authoritarian methods to remove President Tamás Sulyok, warning that similar action could eventually be taken against anyone. If you missed it: Hungarian Parliament approves sweeping constitutional amendments to remove president
At approximately the same time, however, Orbán was travelling through Frankfurt on his way to the United States. He plans to attend the France–Spain and England–Argentina semi-finals before watching the final in New Jersey on 19 July. The trip had been announced several weeks earlier and may also provide an opportunity for Orbán to meet US President Donald Trump.
As we wrote today, Orbán said, Hungary’s new president is ‘illegitimate’, refuses to recognise decisions
Why Viktor Orbán’s timing became the story
Political analyst Gábor Török argued that a politician’s conduct is itself a form of communication. In his assessment, someone declaring that democracy has ended cannot leave for an international football tournament on the same day without weakening the seriousness of that claim.
Török did not dismiss the constitutional controversy itself. He described the removal of a sitting president through a single constitutional amendment as an unprecedented step that could create a constitutional crisis. Nevertheless, he concluded that the day represented the collapse of Viktor Orbán’s political myth more clearly than the collapse of Hungarian democracy.
That distinction is important. Orbán built much of his political identity around control, discipline and his ability to dominate the national agenda. The photographs and statements from his journey instead allowed his opponents to depict him as physically absent while his party faced one of its most serious crises since losing power.
Péter Magyar said Orbán had abandoned his political community and was attempting to “fight authoritarianism” from a World Cup match. Economy and Energy Minister István Kapitány offered a similar criticism, contrasting Orbán’s football trip with the resignation of Fidesz parliamentary group leader Gergely Gulyás.
What triggered the democracy dispute?
For readers outside Hungary, the confrontation followed the passage of the 17th amendment to the country’s Fundamental Law. Parliament approved the changes by 139 votes to six, while Fidesz and its Christian Democratic allies boycotted the vote.
The amendment ends President Tamás Sulyok’s mandate, introduces a maximum 12-year parliamentary term, restores a retirement age of 70 for Constitutional Court judges and establishes a new authority responsible for recovering and protecting public assets. Parliament will elect an interim president until a new constitution enters into force, or for a maximum of five years.
The Magyar government says the package is necessary to dismantle institutional structures created during Orbán’s 16 years in power and restore democracy based on the rule of law. Fidesz argues that removing a serving president and excluding long-serving politicians from future elections amounts to political retaliation and an abuse of the government’s two-thirds parliamentary majority.
These concerns cannot simply be dismissed because Orbán attended football matches. Sulyok has requested an assessment from the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s constitutional advisory body, while critics have questioned whether institutional reform is being implemented with adequate procedural safeguards.
Without the “Leader”?
As we wrote a few days ago, the demonstration announced by Viktor Orbán in support of President Sulyok turned out very strangely…
You can read the rest of the article on our Substack account, which includes a paywall option: The Hungary Insider
What’s next? PM Péter Magyar accuses Fidesz of blocking constitutional amendment, warns of action against president
Orbán is a complete nobody now. He doesn’t attend parliament and flies off to the USA, rather than fight his corner. Why? Because he and everyone else knows that he lost in a way that he had not dreamed possible. Hajrá Tisza!