On Tuesday, Hungary’s parliament elected former Supreme Court President András Baka as the country’s next president, a symbolic step in Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s efforts to dismantle the power centers of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Reuters reports, UNN writes.
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Baka was elected to the largely ceremonial position with the votes of the ruling center-right Tisza party, while members of the opposition Fidesz party did not participate in the vote.
In his speech after taking the oath, Baka criticized the previous government, stating that during Orbán’s rule, “one party captured the state,” the branches of government were not separated, and a functioning system of checks and balances was absent.
However, he noted that the task of building a new future for Hungary “requires both justice and restraint,” adding that the role of the president is to represent the interests of citizens with differing views.
There is one thing we definitely cannot do — we cannot build a new Hungary on revenge
Magyar’s victory in the April election brought an end to Orbán’s 16-year rule. He promised to restore democratic standards and called for the resignation of key officials appointed or elected by Orbán’s party.
The removal of former President Tamás Sulyok was Magyar’s main objective, as he called him Orbán’s “puppet.” Last month, Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment adopted by Tisza that ended his own presidency.
Under this amendment, the new president will remain in office until a new constitution takes effect or for a maximum term of five years.
Parliament deputies from the opposition Fidesz party did not participate in the vote, stating in a statement released earlier that day that Tisza had “arbitrarily and unlawfully terminated” Sulyok’s term and accusing the ruling party of “tyranny.”