Hungary’s Magyar to amend the constitution to remove President Tamas Sulyok

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has promised to amend the constitution to remove the president and other officials appointed under populist former Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Magyar on Monday called President Tamas Sulyok Orban’s “puppet” and said he should resign from the position, but the president has repeatedly rejected the prime minister’s requests that he stand down.

Magyar and his Tizsa party won an overwhelming victory in elections in April. With a two-thirds majority in parliament, they can make sweeping changes to the political system Orban built over his 16 years in power.

Magyar had given Sulyok a deadline of this past Sunday to leave office or face being removed by constitutional means.

While holding a mostly ceremonial role, Hungary’s president is responsible for signing legislation into law and has the power to send bills passed by parliament to the Constitutional Court for review, raising concerns among supporters of the new government that he could use that power to obstruct its plans.

Magyar held talks with Sulyok at the presidential Sandor Palace on Monday morning.

Later at a news conference, Magyar said the president had refused to resign.

“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.