With a two-thirds majority in Hungary’s parliament, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has been racing to cement the changes he promised during his campaign, which he dubbed a crusade for “regime change.” The two-thirds majority in parliament allows him to push through constitutional amendments, paving the way for major changes in Budapest.
Tisza’s first constitutional amendment could effectively end Orbán’s chances of returning as prime minister, just days after he was reelected as party chair of Fidesz over the weekend. At the same time, the move would be a significant limit on Magyar’s own power, as he vows to restore liberal democracy in Hungary.
But some critics have suggested that the amendment cannot apply to prime ministers who were in office before it was passed, meaning that Orbán could still run for Hungary’s top job.
The amendment will now head to the desk of Tamás Sulyok, the Fidesz-appointed president of Hungary. Magyar is currently trying to oust Sulyok and other Orbán-appointed officials as he cleans house in the new government. Sulyok has refused Magyar’s request to resign voluntarily. Should Sulyok return the legislation to lawmakers, they could overrule his concerns in a second vote.
Monday’s amendment also seeks to abolish the government’s Sovereign Protection Office, which the European Commission has said violates EU law and critics say has been used by the Orbán regime to consolidate power. The amendment also allows the government to dismantle public trust foundations, vehicles that Orbán used to privatize universities and put them in the hands of his party members.