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Hungary's government is prepared to pursue constitutional amendments if President Tamas Sulyok refuses to step down, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Monday, escalating a standoff that has pitted the executive branch against the presidency and drawn protests to the streets of Budapest.
Magyar made the announcement following a meeting with Sulyok at Budapest's Sandor Palace, attended also by Justice Minister Marta Gorog, according to the Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet. "I called on Tamas Sulyok today as well," Magyar said at a subsequent press conference, adding that he would inform the government so it could begin proceedings to amend Hungary's Fundamental Law.
The confrontation stems from an ultimatum Magyar had issued to several public officials and senior officeholders, including the president, demanding they vacate their posts by May 31. With Sulyok remaining in office past that deadline, the prime minister signaled the government's next step would be legislative.
Sulyok has repeatedly refused to resign, stating he will not yield to political pressure. His position is backed by Hungary's opposition conservative party Fidesz, which accused Magyar of exerting unlawful pressure on the presidency. In a statement, Fidesz argued that public officials' terms of office are determined by Hungary's constitutional order, not by political ultimatums, and expressed its firm support for Sulyok.
Demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace during the meeting, with crowds divided, some backing Sulyok and others demanding his resignation, reflecting the broader political polarization surrounding the dispute.
Hungary operates under a Fundamental Law, its constitution adopted in 2011, which defines the powers and terms of senior officeholders including the president. Any amendment requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority, a threshold that underscores the political weight of Magyar's threat and the institutional battles now unfolding in Budapest.
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