The Hungarian parliament approved an amendment that effectively terminates the president's powers
Kyiv • UNN
The Hungarian parliament on July 14 adopted the 17th amendment to the Constitution, which prematurely terminates the mandate of President Tamás Sulyok. The changes also shorten the term of office of constitutional judges and limit deputies to three convocations.
The Hungarian Parliament on July 14 adopted the 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law, which, after being signed by the president, will lead to the early termination of the powers of the head of state Tamás Sulyok and change the working order of a number of state institutions. This is reported by Telex, writes UNN.
Details
139 deputies voted for the amendment, introduced by Prime Minister Péter Magyar as part of the "Operation "Cleansing Fire"" initiative, while six voted against. The factions of "Fidesz" and the Christian Democratic People's Party boycotted the vote, and the head of the Fidesz parliamentary faction, Gergely Gulyás, announced his resignation in protest. If the president signs the document, his mandate will end the day after the law comes into force, and the parliament must elect a new head of state within 30 days.
Speaking in parliament, Péter Magyar stated that the changes end the "era of destruction by Fidesz" and open the way to the creation of a new Constitution.
It would be a betrayal of the Hungarian nation if we did not touch this Fundamental Law, because it is the basic document of the system built by Fidesz and the KDNP
What else does the constitutional reform provide for
The amendment also reduces the term of office of constitutional judges from 12 to 9 years, returns the age limit of 70 years, which will lead to the dismissal of four judges, including Péter Polt. In addition, the document restores certain powers of the Constitutional Court, changes the procedure for appointing heads of the judicial system, and introduces a limit on the tenure of deputies in parliament to three convocations.
In the Fidesz party, the adopted changes were called "the end of constitutional democracy" and the beginning of tyranny. Gergely Gulyás stated that the new rules remove the president for political reasons, limit the activities of the Constitutional Court, and deprive a significant part of the current opposition of the right to run in elections. At the same time, the government claims that limiting the terms of parliamentary mandates will contribute to the renewal of the political system and expand the representation of new social groups.