Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has pledged to use every available legal avenue to remain in office as tensions with Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government continue to intensify. In an interview with Brussels-based news outlet Politico, Sulyok accused the new administration of attempting an unprecedented concentration of power and warned that Hungary is facing a serious constitutional crisis.
The confrontation has been on since Tisza Party’s landslide election victory this April, which ended sixteen years of Fidesz rule under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Sulyok accuses government of seeking excessive power
Speaking from the presidential residence in Budapest, Sulyok claimed that Péter Magyar’s government is trying to remove him and other officials appointed during the Orbán era in order to gain greater control over Hungary’s state institutions.
In the interview with Politico, the president claims Péter Magyar is pursuing a level of power concentration that exceeds anything seen during the previous government’s tenure.
“No parliamentary majority can authorise the disregard of the rule of law and European values,” Sulyok said, arguing that his continued presence in office is necessary to protect democratic norms and maintain the constitutional separation of powers between the presidency and parliament.
He further alleged that the new government aims to achieve within “16 weeks” a degree of institutional control that Fidesz required “16 years” to build, primarily by replacing senior office-holders elected or appointed by the previous parliament.
President prepared to challenge removal attempts in court
Sulyok made it clear that he intends to resist any effort to remove him from office, including through legal proceedings.
The president recently submitted a request to Hungary’s Constitutional Court seeking clarification on constitutional provisions concerning the Fundamental Law, including its adoption, amendment and constitutional function. The move is widely viewed as part of his broader effort to challenge attempts to force his resignation.
However, the initiative has already encountered obstacles. The Constitutional Court announced on Friday that seven constitutional judges had declared conflicts of interest in the matter due to their personal involvement in issues connected to the case. As a result, the full court lacked the quorum necessary to proceed, prompting Constitutional Court President Péter Polt to remove the issue from the agenda.
Sulyok has also reportedly sought guidance from the Venice Commission regarding what he describes as a constitutional crisis triggered by repeated calls from the government for his resignation.
Péter Magyar Tisza Party defends plans for institutional changes
The government has not denied that it is considering measures affecting senior officials appointed during the Orbán years. Márton Hajdu, chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and a prominent figure in Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party, confirmed to Politico that various options are being examined regarding Sulyok and several other high-ranking office-holders. However, he declined to provide details.
Hajdu argued that many officials appointed under the previous administration failed to act as independent constitutional checks on government power. “The Orbán regime committed serious wrongs against the Hungarian people,” Hajdu said, citing corruption, the alleged prioritisation of Russian interests over national interests and damage to relations with Hungary’s traditional allies.
“These individuals could have limited or slowed those actions, but instead they willingly served the system.”
Dispute over the legacy of the Orbán era
The disagreement is about the legacy of Viktor Orbán’s government and the future direction of Hungary’s institutions. Following his election victory, Péter Magyar publicly called on a number of senior office-holders associated with the previous administration to resign voluntarily.
Among those named were the heads of several key institutions, including the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court (Kúria), the State Audit Office, the National Media and Infocommunications Authority and the presidency itself.
Supporters of the government argue that institutional renewal is necessary after years of Fidesz dominance. Critics, including Sulyok, contend that the campaign risks undermining constitutional safeguards and weakening the independence of state institutions.
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Concern over Hungary’s international reputation
Despite his criticism of the government, Sulyok insisted that he wishes the new administration success. He told Politico that his personal feelings have “no legal significance” and stressed that a successful government is in the interest of all Hungarians.
Nevertheless, he warned that the ongoing constitutional dispute must be resolved quickly. According to the president, the uncertainty surrounding efforts to remove him is damaging Hungary’s international standing and harming the country’s reputation abroad.
With neither side showing signs of backing down, the dispute is shaping into one of the most significant constitutional confrontations in Hungary since the democratic transition, raising important questions about the balance of power between elected governments and independent state institutions.
Yeah but “Peti” is a globalist-socialist patsy so that’s perfectly O.K.
Just like, say, Trudeau blacking up is O.K. but those merely wanting to protect their countries’ borders are “RAYCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIST!!!”