Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Sulyok said he had no constitutional recourse to challenge the amendmentByNick Thorpe, Reporting fromHungary and Henry MoorePublished18 July 2026 Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down, signing an amendment to the country's constitution which will end his presidency at midnight on Sunday. Prime Minister Péter Magyar's Tisza party had steamrolled the law change through parliament to oust Sulyok – widely seen as a loyalist of former prime minister Viktor Orbán who lost power in April after 16 years. Sulyok had five days to sign the amendment or risk a protracted constitutional crisis and impeachment proceedings. He confirmed he would agree to the law change as the deadline passed on Saturday evening, but in a statement accused Magyar's government of violating the rule of law. He said the amendment marked a "breaking point in Hungarian constitutional democracy" and said the "core values of a free society… have been trampled underfoot for the sake of political power".
Published: July 18, 2026 5:33 pm
Source: BBC — Read original