“If he does not resign, we will immediately start the necessary procedures.”
Hungary’s political tensions rose sharply on Monday after Prime Minister Péter Magyar threatened legal action against President Tamás Sulyok if he refuses to step down from office.
The warning came after the two men met in Budapest for talks that failed to produce any agreement. Instead of a compromise, the meeting appeared to deepen the growing divide between Hungary’s new government and officials who rose to power during Viktor Orbán’s long rule.
Magyar, whose Tisza party won a decisive election victory in April, has made it clear that he wants several senior figures appointed during the Orbán era removed from key positions. Sulyok, elected president by Orbán’s Fidesz party in 2024, has become one of the most prominent targets.
“I have told the President that if he maintains his stance and does not resign, I will inform the lawmakers of Tisza about our legislative proposals today and we will immediately start the necessary procedures,” Magyar said after the meeting.
The prime minister believes many state institutions remain under the influence of officials loyal to the previous government and has argued that reforms cannot move forward without significant changes at the top.
Sulyok, however, has shown no sign that he intends to leave.
The president’s term runs until 2029, and his supporters insist he has every legal right to remain in office. Hungary’s presidency is largely ceremonial, but the role still carries important powers, including the ability to send legislation back to parliament or refer laws to the Constitutional Court for review.
That makes the office particularly significant as Magyar begins implementing his political agenda.
“Removing all the puppets” who helped dismantle democracy and the rule of law will be part of his government’s mission, Magyar said.
The remarks quickly triggered a response from Orbán’s Fidesz party, which accused the new prime minister of trying to pressure the president unlawfully.
According to Fidesz, Sulyok is carrying out a lawful constitutional mandate and cannot simply be forced out because a new government has taken power.
Political observers in Budapest say the dispute is becoming one of the first major tests of Magyar’s administration.
Many voters backed him because they wanted change after more than a decade of Orbán’s dominance in Hungarian politics. At the same time, critics fear that efforts to remove officials appointed by previous governments could create fresh constitutional battles.
One Budapest resident interviewed by local media described the situation as a struggle between two political eras.
“The election is over, but it feels like the real fight is only starting now,” the resident said.
Magyar suggested the process of removing the president could take about a month if parliament moves ahead with legal and constitutional measures.
His government holds a powerful majority in parliament, giving it significant room to pursue reforms. Still, any attempt to remove a sitting president would likely trigger intense political and legal debate both inside Hungary and across Europe.
For now, neither side appears willing to back down.
Sulyok says he intends to remain in office.
Magyar says he is prepared to take legal action.
What began as a request for a resignation is now turning into a confrontation that could shape the first months of Hungary’s new political era.
