Hungary's President Tamás Sulyok Steps Down After Constitutional Amendment

Tamás Sulyok, Hungary’s president, has agreed to end his tenure after Parliament approved a sweeping amendment that will remove him from office at midnight this Sunday.

The change was driven by the ruling Fidesz party, which has dominated the country since the April election that ousted former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power.

Sulyok was given five days to sign the amendment or face a protracted constitutional crisis and potential impeachment proceedings. He signed the document on Saturday evening and announced his departure, but also accused the government of violating the rule of law.

The amendment removes not only the president but also Péter Polt, head of the Constitutional Court, and all judges over the age of 70. It further bans deputies who have served three terms, affecting more than half of the current Fidesz cohort.

Orbán has condemned the amendment as an act of tyranny and has called for protests, though he has largely stayed out of public view since his party’s defeat.

The move marks Hungary’s latest dramatic constitutional overhaul, adding political uncertainty to an already tense European political landscape.