Hungary proposes 12-year term limit for member of parliaments

Hungary’s Prime Minister Péter Magyar has announced a constitutional amendment limiting parliamentary mandates to 12 years, or three four-year terms.

During a speech in the country’s parliament, he said the initiative is aimed at combating corruption and abuses of power allegedly committed by the previous government led by Viktor Orbán, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“Under the draft 17th amendment to the Constitution, we propose setting the maximum term of office for members of parliament at 12 years,” Magyar noted.

According to him, the government is also considering changes to the appointment and election procedures for the heads of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.

Under the proposal, the heads of these top judicial bodies would be elected by judges from among their own ranks, and their tenure would be limited by a retirement age of 70.

“This means that the current head of the Constitutional Court, Péter Polt, has reached the limit,” the prime minister said, adding that Polt should step down as he is allegedly a political appointee of Orbán.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov