Hungary's new government, led by Péter Magyar, has proposed a constitutional amendment that would limit prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office, effectively barring former premier Viktor Orbán from returning to the role. The draft amendment was submitted on Wednesday, just over a week after the new government took office, marking the first step in dismantling a constitution rewritten under Orbán's Fidesz party.
The amendment states that anyone who has served as prime minister for at least eight years in total, including interruptions, may not be elected again. This calculation applies to all terms since Hungary's democratisation in 1990, meaning Orbán, who served five terms totalling 20 years, would be ineligible. However, the amendment is not foolproof, as a future leader with a two-thirds supermajority could amend it to extend their time in power.
The proposal also paves the way for dissolving the controversial sovereignty protection office, which was launched under Orbán and accused of silencing critics by allowing intelligence access to individuals and organisations without judicial oversight. Additionally, the amendment addresses EU concerns by reclaiming control over foundations that maintained universities and thinktanks, such as the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, ending what it calls an "abuse of legislative power". These foundations' assets are to be treated as national assets.
The draft is expected to be discussed next week in the national assembly, where Tisza's supermajority makes its passage likely. Since his election victory, Magyar has vowed to suspend state media that served as Orbán's mouthpieces, called for resignations of Orbán-era appointees, and apologised to those maligned by the state. The government has also signalled a foreign policy shift, with Foreign Minister Anita Orbán summoning Russia's ambassador over a drone attack in Ukraine, calling for an immediate ceasefire.
