Update: Sulyok 'Ruined Presidency' in Hungary, Says Magyar - Successor to be Elected by Parl't
- 2 Jun 2026 7:53 AM
"Tamás Sulyok has destroyed the institution of the president of the republic," Prime Minister Peter Magyar said in an interview to news portal Telex on Monday evening.
Magyar said ensuring the unity of the nation was one of the president's tasks, adding that presidents of the republic have been among the most popular politicians in Hungary since 1990.
"Not only is this not the case with Tamas Sulyok, he is one of the least popular," Magyar said, adding that two-thirds of Hungarian adults asked in recent polls "expect him to resign and leave".
Referring to a survey conducted by his Tisza Party, Magyar said that "seventy-two percent of respondents saying that he should resign from his office in itself makes it impossible for him to embody the unity of the nation."
The prime minister insisted that "the legal institution of the president and Sulyok's activities should be separated ... the institution has weight, the president is not merely a technician that asks the leader of the strongest party to form a government, but one that speaks on important subjects and (if he does not) his silence sends a message".
Magyar also said that "the institution was not in a good state, since it had been occupied by party stalwarts".
"The path has been lined with failed presidents, but he (Sulyok) discredited the institution once and for all," he added.
Magyar slams Sulyok for 'protecting his salary'
Prime Minister Peter Magyar said President Tamas Sulyok was "protecting his 6.3 million forint monthly salary" by refusing a call to resign in a post on Facebook on Sunday.
"Tamas Sulyok has never stood up for the oppressed or the persecuted, or for the rule of law. Even on children's day, he is only protecting his 6.3 million monthly salary. Instead of apologising," Magyar said.
Sulyok says he will stay on as president
Prime Minister Peter Magyar had given Sulyok until midnight on Sunday to resign.
In the video on Facebook, Sulyok said the dignity of the office of head of state demanded that he "stand firm".
"Respect for the law demands steadfastness, loyalty to the homeland, and respect for the nation. My oath to the Fundamental Law binds me equally to the entire Hungarian political nation, to both the majority and the minority," he added.
After responsibly weighing the possibility of his resignation, Sulyok said he had concluded it would not resolve the institutional conflict in accordance with the Fundamental Law.
"Let us cherish all that binds us together," he added.
Sulyok acknowledged the legitimacy of a "clear political demand" to reinterpret the role of the president following the elections, but said the president was still obligated to perform his duties in accordance with the constitution.
"In the current constitutional order, the president of the republic must cooperate with the government in the exercise of his powers, and the government must, in the same spirit, cooperate with the president of the republic elected by the previous parliament," he added.
He said Magyar's calls for his resignation had created a "serious contradiction" adversely affecting the functioning and authority of the office.
"At the same time, I would like to dispel any assumptions that I would exercise my presidential powers with the express purpose of obstructing the government's objectives, such as regarding the legislative process necessary for accessing EU funds," he said.
Sulyok highlighted his respect for the government's ongoing efforts to protect the country's national interests and international standing, and noted that he had immediately signed the law restoring Hungary's accession to the International Criminal Court.
Sulyok said he was confident that a "sensible constitutional cooperation" with the new parliament and the government would come to fruition. He added that he trusted that the Tisza party's strong democratic mandate would be paired with a firm commitment to "respecting our constitutional values and the fundamental values of the European Union".
Magyar to pay visit to president early Monday
Prime Minister Peter Magyar said he would pay a visit to the president early Monday, after a deadline for his resignation passes, in a post on Facebook on Sunday.
"The deadline to resign runs out at midnight today. The justice minister and I will pay a visit to President Tamas Sulyok at 8:00 in the morning on Monday," Magyar said.
After winning a landslide victory in elections on April 12, Magyar called on Sulyok, along with other officials appointed under the Fidesz-KDNP government, to resign by May 31.
Sulyok said on Friday that he had asked the Venice Commission to assess the constitutionality of calls for his removal.
Fidesz stands with president 'under unconstitutional attack'
Opposition Fidesz said it "stands with the head of state under unconstitutional attack" by Prime Minister Peter Magyar in a statement on Sunday.
Fidesz labelled Magyar's call for President Tamas Sulyok to resign by midnight on Sunday "public blackmail". The party said the prime minister was "marching down a path of dictatorship and unlawful ultimatums".
Gergely Gulyas, the leader of the party's parliamentary group, said on Facebook that forcibly removing a president from office was considered "usual practice in a dictatorship".
Bence Retvari, the leader of the parliamentary group of opposition KDNP, said Sulyok had fulfilled all of his constitutional duties before and after the election, and there was no lawful reason for his removal.
Earlier:
Magyar: Presidential nominee must be person who can restore prestige of institution
"We must nominate someone for president who can restore the prestige of this institution," the prime minister said in an interview with news portal Telex on Monday evening.
Peter Magyar said if President Tamas Sulyok resigns, his successor will be elected by parliament.
He added that he did not yet have a candidate for the position.
"It would send an important message if Tamas Sulyok resigned despite all the pressure and blackmail, which obviously come from the disgraced mafia boss who always hides behind women's skirts and behind a line of defence, but does not dare to sit in parliament or face up to the crimes he has committed," Magyar said.
MTI Stock Photo
Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.
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