Hungarian Rights Groups Oppose Draft Law to Remove President and Set MP Term Limits
Controversy Surrounds Proposed Constitutional Amendment in Hungary
BUDAPEST, June 25 (Reuters) - Two Hungarian rights groups have criticised a draft constitutional amendment by Prime Minister Peter Magyar's government that proposes the removal of President Tamas Sulyok and the introduction of a term limit for members of parliament.
Background: Political Shift and Proposed Changes
Magyar's centre-right Tisza party, which ousted Viktor Orban's nationalist conservative government in April after 16 years, argues that Sulyok is a "puppet" of Orban, and that a 12-year term limit on lawmakers would promote broader representation.
The Role and Powers of the President
Hungary's president has only limited powers to veto legislation or have it reviewed.
Sulyok, who served for 10 years as a Constitutional Court judge, eight of them as its head, until parliament appointed him president in 2024, has said he has no political agenda and has merely provided necessary checks and balances.
Tisza Party's Supermajority and Legislative Power
Tisza's supermajority in parliament enables it to modify the constitution and roll back changes by Orban that critics say have harmed democracy.
The bill says its aim is to ensure "the preconditions for the restoration of constitutional democracy". The planned constitutional amendment would end Sulyok's term immediately, citing society's "serious loss of confidence" in him.
Reactions from Rights Groups and Analysts
Amnesty International Hungary's Position
The human rights campaign group Amnesty International Hungary said it believed Sulyok had become "unworthy of his office".
Calls for Impeachment Over Constitutional Amendment
But its communication director, Aron Demeter, told the channel ATV late on Wednesday that impeachment would be a "better and fairer" process than removing the president with a constitutional amendment, and more in line with international standards.
Criticism from Political Analysts
Political analyst Gabor Torok also criticised the plan to remove the head of state "with a one-sentence constitutional amendment".
"Those who vote for this think ... they can do anything with their qualified majority," Torok wrote on Facebook.
Hungarian Civil Liberties Union's Concerns
The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union said setting a term limit for members of parliament was not an urgent issue, arguing that it should be decided within the framework of a thorough constitutional review.
(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Kevin Liffey)