Hungarian parliament set to elect a new president

Yesterday 07:45

By: Azzat Manal

Hungarian parliament set to elect a new president

Hungary’s parliament is scheduled to vote on Tuesday to elect a new president following the departure of former head of state Tamás Sulyok.

The election is being held under constitutional rules requiring a new presidential vote within 30 days of the previous president’s resignation. During the transition period, parliamentary speaker Ágnes Várdai has been serving as acting president.

András Baka, a former head of Hungary’s Supreme Court, is the only candidate who has secured the required number of parliamentary endorsements to stand in the election. His nomination was backed by the governing Tisza parliamentary group during a meeting on Saturday, and Baka accepted the nomination.

The election will take place during a special parliamentary session. Hungary’s president is chosen by parliament rather than through a direct nationwide vote, and a candidate must secure a two-thirds majority of the 199-member legislature in the initial round.

The presidential transition follows a period of political controversy surrounding the previous head of state. Prime Minister Péter Magyar had reportedly approached renowned Hungarian chess player Judit Polgár about the presidency, but she declined the proposal.

Baka’s candidacy now places him at the center of Hungary’s political transition, with the parliamentary vote expected to determine who will assume the country’s largely ceremonial presidency.

The election comes at a politically significant moment for Hungary, where relations between the government, parliament and opposition remain closely watched both domestically and across the European Union.