New Hungarian government sets sights on president’s removal

The new Hungarian government will prepare amendments to the country’s Basic Law that would enable the removal of President Tamás Sulyok from office and launch a process to draft a new constitution.

Prime Minister Péter Magyar made the remarks during a speech in the national parliament, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“We will initiate the removal of President of the Republic Tamás Sulyok from office,” Magyar said, confirming plans to push for the head of state’s resignation. He has previously argued that Sulyok should step down, claiming the president enabled abuses under the previous government led by Viktor Orbán.

“On the day after the amendments to the Basic Law enter into force, the powers of Tamás Sulyok will be terminated, period,” the prime minister said, in remarks broadcast on the parliament’s official website.

Magyar also announced that a broad constitutional drafting process would begin in September, involving participation from Hungarian society. Once completed, the new Basic Law would be submitted for approval in a nationwide referendum.

“Until the constitutional drafting process is completed, but for no more than five years, parliament will elect a new president of the republic in place of Tamás Sulyok, whose one of the key tasks will be to restore the authority of the presidential institution,” Magyar said.

By Vafa Guliyeva