Hungarian President Signs Constitutional Amendment Ending His Term

Hungarian President Tamás Soliuk has signed a constitutional amendment that ends his presidential term, according to a statement issued by the country's presidency and reported by Reuters.

Last Monday, the Hungarian Parliament approved new constitutional amendments granting Prime Minister Péter Magyar tools to reshape state institutions. These changes include imposing limits on the number of terms that members of parliament and constitutional court judges can serve, as well as opening the possibility of removing President Tamás Soliuk from office.

This move comes amid Péter Magyar's efforts to curtail the influence of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who lost power in the elections held in April. President Soliuk has faced accusations of siding with Orbán's policies.

Despite his electoral defeat, Viktor Orbán retains leadership of his party, Fidesz, which boycotted the parliamentary voting session on the amendments.

The constitutional changes received support from 139 deputies, surpassing the two-thirds majority required for constitutional amendments. Six deputies abstained from voting.

The amendments also mandate the retirement of constitutional court judges upon reaching the age of seventy. This rule will affect four of the fifteen court members, including the court president, Péter Polt, who is regarded as close to Orbán.

In the event the presidency becomes vacant, the Speaker of Parliament, Ágnes Fursthöfer, will temporarily assume the duties of the head of state until a new president is elected. The President of Hungary is elected by Parliament for a five-year term.