Orban Allies Rally In Budapest Against Plan To Oust Hungary's President
Allies of Viktor Orbán rallied outside the Sándor Palace in Budapest on Thursday, July 9, 2026, to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that would remove President Tamás Sulyok.[1]
Several thousand people gathered to back Sulyok and to denounce the new prime minister, Péter Magyar's, plan to oust him.[1] The amendment up for a parliamentary vote next week would end Sulyok's term, add parliamentary term limits, reform the judiciary and create an anti-corruption authority.[1]
In February 2024, President Katalin Novák resigned after a scandal over her pardon of an associate convicted in a child sexual abuse case at a state-run home. Péter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider who broke with the party, formed the Tisza Party. He led it to a landslide victory in the April 12, 2026 election that gave his coalition a two-thirds parliamentary majority. Tamás Sulyok was chosen as president by a Fidesz-dominated parliament on March 5, 2024. He refused Magyar's May demand that he resign, prompting the government to pursue a constitutional amendment to remove him.
Magyar's government has suspended state TV and radio news, capped the prime minister to eight years and replaced security and intelligence chiefs. The government also helped unlock €16.4 billion in EU funds, moves that have heightened the stakes of next week's vote.
The mainstream summary does not mention the significant electoral context in which these events are unfolding. The Tisza Party's landslide victory in the April 12, 2026 election, where it garnered 53.18% of the party list vote and secured 141 of 199 seats, is crucial for understanding the current political landscape and the legitimacy of Magyar's push for constitutional amendments. This overwhelming majority has empowered Magyar to challenge the existing power structures, including the presidency of Sulyok, who was installed by the previous Fidesz-dominated parliament just two years prior.[2]
Furthermore, the summary downplays the broader implications of this political shift, particularly the narrative surrounding the decline of long-term populist governance in Central Europe. Analysts suggest that Magyar's campaign effectively capitalized on public discontent regarding corruption and economic performance, which resonated particularly in rural areas with high voter turnout. This context highlights a significant grassroots movement aimed at reversing the 'state capture' established by Orbán's Fidesz party, a nuance that adds depth to the ongoing political struggle in Hungary.[3]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📊 Relevant Data
In the April 12, 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election, the Tisza Party won 53.18% of the party list vote and 141 of 199 seats, giving it a two-thirds supermajority in the National Assembly.
2026 Hungarian parliamentary election — Wikipedia
Tamás Sulyok assumed the Hungarian presidency on March 5, 2024, following election by a Fidesz-dominated parliament for a five-year term.
Tamás Sulyok — Wikipedia
📌 Key Facts
- Protest took place Thursday, July 9, 2026, outside the Sándor Palace in Budapest's Castle District
- Demonstration drew several thousand people backing President Tamás Sulyok and opposing his removal
- Constitutional amendment due for a vote next week would end Sulyok's term, add parliamentary term limits, reform the judiciary and create an anti-corruption authority
- Prime Minister Péter Magyar's coalition holds a two-thirds majority after defeating Viktor Orban in an April 2026 "blowout" election
- Magyar government has already suspended state TV/radio news, imposed an eight-year PM term cap, replaced security and intelligence chiefs, and helped unlock €16.4 billion in EU funds
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time