Hungary's parliament votes to remove president Tamás Sulyok from office

Hungary's parliament has voted to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office, following a period of significant political upheaval. The legislative body, now dominated by Prime Minister Péter Magyar's Tisza party after their landslide victory in April 2026, approved a constitutional amendment on Monday, July 13, that effectively terminates Sulyok's mandate. The move, which passed with 139 votes to 6, is part of a broader effort by the new government to dismantle institutions and policies established during former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's 16-year tenure.

President Sulyok, widely regarded as a loyalist of the previous administration, now faces a stark choice: he must sign his own dismissal within five days, or the government has threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against him. The opposition Fidesz party boycotted the parliamentary session, condemning the amendment as an "unprecedented" attack on Hungary's democratic framework and accusing the new ruling party of creating a tyranny.

This drastic parliamentary action underscores a significant shift in Hungary's political landscape, as the Tisza party swiftly implements its mandate to reform the country's governance. Critics question the method used, while the new government asserts it is fulfilling election promises to restore rule-of-law democracy and replace officials perceived as loyalists of the former regime.