Saturday's signature by Tamás Sulyok put into law a constitutional amendment forcing his term to end at midnight Monday, after he used the full five-day deadline to approve it.
Péter Magyar's Tisza party pushed the amendment through after Sulyok refused repeated calls to resign, arguing the Orbán-appointed president had failed to check antidemocratic moves under the previous government.
Ágnes Forsthoffer, parliament speaker, will automatically take over as interim head of state until lawmakers elect a new president within 30 days; Magyar said his party will discuss a nominee on Monday.
The amendment also adds judicial reforms, creates an office to investigate alleged financial abuses under Viktor Orbán, and imposes a 12-year term limit on lawmakers.
The clash underscores Magyar's broader effort since taking office in May to dismantle Orbán-era institutions, a campaign Orbán and Sulyok say shows rule-of-law abuses while the government calls it democratic restoration.
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After Sulyok: Hungary’s 2026 Constitutional Crisis and the Struggle for Rule of Law
Overview
In July 2026, Hungary’s new government removed President Tamás Sulyok after passing the 17th constitutional amendment, citing fears he could block their reforms. The government argued that Sulyok, appointed by the previous administration, might use his powers to hinder change, especially given his authority to sign or review laws. Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs claimed a 'deep state' had been built over sixteen years to keep the old order’s influence, justifying the president’s removal as necessary to break this hold. This marked the start of sweeping constitutional changes aimed at reshaping Hungary’s political system.