Prime Minister Péter Magyar arrived at the Sándor Palace, the official residence of President Tamás Sulyok, early this morning, after the deadline he had set for the head of state to resign voluntarily expired. Speaking at a press conference following their meeting, he made it clear that Mr Sulyok would, in any case, be removed from office.
Péter Magyar: Hungarians would dismiss Sulyok
The Prime Minister arrived at 8am, having already declared on the night of his election victory, 12 April, that the President must step down. With 141 seats in the 199-member National Assembly, Mr Magyar’s Tisza Party commands a two-thirds majority, enabling it to remove the head of state without difficulty. Nevertheless, he had allowed several weeks for Mr Sulyok to resign of his own accord.
Mr Magyar argued that 70 per cent of Hungarians believe the President should leave office, on the grounds that he is no longer fit to hold it.
A poll published in mid-May by the 21 Research Centre found that 60 per cent of respondents would force Mr Sulyok’s resignation, while 31 per cent would keep him in post. Mr Sulyok, elected following Katalin Novák’s resignation by the previous government’s two-thirds majority, previously served as President of the Constitutional Court.
Removal to be discussed
Mr Magyar said Mr Sulyok had been unable to explain why he wished to remain in office, nor had he responded to claims that he is the least popular president since 1990. The Prime Minister declined to set out the precise mechanism for his removal, stating only that impeachment proceedings would not be initiated, in order to preserve what remains of the office’s authority.
He added that several options were under consideration and would be discussed with the Tisza parliamentary group later today. He also pledged that no tailor-made legislation would be introduced for the purpose.
In response to questions, Mr Magyar said the removal of the President would not hinder the enactment of reform laws required to unlock European Union funds. During any vacancy, such legislation could be signed by Ágnes Forsthoffer, the Tisza-affiliated Speaker of the National Assembly.
He further indicated that all those involved in the so-called “cadre carousel” — officials who held senior posts under successive Fidesz governments largely on the basis of political loyalty — would be removed. Among them, he cited Péter Polt, who moved from the role of Chief Prosecutor to President of the Constitutional Court after Mr Sulyok left that position to become head of state in the wake of Ms Novák’s pardon scandal.
Situation may be resolved by July
Mr Magyar suggested that Hungary could have a new president by the end of July. However, the method of election remains to be agreed with his parliamentary group. He signalled support for greater public participation, including the possibility of a direct presidential election.
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The Prime Minister also confirmed that he will travel to Berlin on Tuesday and Paris on Wednesday for talks with the German Chancellor and the French President, before chairing a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
The press conference was repeatedly disrupted by hecklers, though Mr Magyar remained composed, at times urging police to ensure that journalists’ questions could be heard. One protester announced plans for a demonstration against the government on Friday, marching from Kodály körönd to Parliament.
Asked about conditions for securing EU funds, Mr Magyar said Hungary would not be required to accept either a migration pact or what he termed “gender lobbying”, but rather to dismantle corruption associated with the Orbán era.
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Update: Violent removal of president typical of dictatorship, says Orbán’s Fidesz
“Presidents of the republic are only removed by way of violence, blackmail or threatening in a dictatorship,” opposition Fidesz said in a statement sent to MTI on Monday, in reaction to the prime minister’s proposal of constitutional changes to remove the president.
“Peter Magyar’s unlawful ultimatum is constitutionally void. From a human aspect it is pathetic and ridiculous,” Fidesz said. The prime minister bears political and criminal responsibility “for his violent conduct threatening Hungary’s democracy and state order,” Fidesz said. The opposition called on Justice Minister Marta Gorog, who accompanied the prime minister for his talks with the president, to remember that she had pledged “to build a state in which the power of the law ensures uniform standards for everybody … constitutional stability and a rule of law.”
