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Hungarian parliament votes for 8-year term limit that would stop Orbán returning
politico.eu • • world
Key Points:
- Hungarian lawmakers passed a constitutional amendment limiting prime ministers to eight years in office, aiming to bar Viktor Orbán, who served 20 years, from returning as prime minister.
- The amendment was approved with 135 votes in favor and 50 against and is designed to apply retroactively, though some critics argue it may not legally affect Orbán’s previous terms.
- Prime Minister Peter Magyar, holding a two-thirds parliamentary majority, is pushing the amendment as part of a broader "regime change" campaign to restore liberal democracy in Hungary.
- The amendment also proposes abolishing the Sovereign Protection Office, criticized for violating EU law and consolidating Orbán’s power, and allows dismantling public trust foundations linked to Orbán’s privatization of universities.
- The legislation now awaits approval from President Tamás Sulyok, an Orbán appointee who has resisted Magyar’s efforts to remove him, with lawmakers able to override any presidential veto.
