Hungarian President Sulyok Signs Constitutional Amendment Ending His Term Prematurely
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok reluctantly signed a constitutional amendment on Saturday, July 18, that prematurely terminates his mandate. In a video address, Sulyok criticized the parliamentary decision as an abuse of political power that removes the presidency as a check and balance system, but stated he signed the document to fulfill his constitutional obligations. The Hungarian parliament passed the amendment on July 13 with a 139-to-6 vote. The early termination of the presidency follows a broader constitutional overhaul by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, whose party secured a two-thirds majority in the April elections.