Hungary Parliament Votes to Remove President Sulyok

Hungary's parliament voted Monday to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office following the surprise April election victory of Prime Minister Péter Magyar's Tisza party over former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party.

The Tisza party used its two-thirds majority to pass a 17th constitutional amendment removing Sulyok, viewed as an Orbán loyalist, and Constitutional Court head Péter Polt. Sulyok has five days to sign the amendment, refer it to the Constitutional Court, or resign. If he refers it to court, Magyar said he will pursue impeachment proceedings that would automatically suspend him.

Fidesz deputies walked out before the vote, arguing the amendment grants the government arbitrary power to dismiss public officials immediately. Opposition lawmakers contend the measure threatens constitutional governance, while the new government says resignation would serve the national interest.