Tamas Sulyok’s predecessor resigned because she pardoned a man who was involved in a case of sexual violence against children.
The Hungarian parliament has elected a new president. Tamas Sulyok, the current president of the Constitutional Court, received 134 votes. As expected, the 67-year-old achieved the necessary two-thirds majority. Five MPs voted against him. Several opposition factions stayed away from the vote.
Sulyok was the only candidate for this position. It was proposed by right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party. Sulyok’s predecessor Katalin Novak announced her resignation a good two weeks ago because of her involvement in a pedophilia scandal.
Predecessor resigned
Novak resigned after it was revealed that she had pardoned a man convicted of aiding and abetting child sexual abuse. This sparked widespread outrage in Hungary and forced the government to withdraw support.
The term of office of the Hungarian president is five years. Her role is more representative. Sulyok will take office on March 5. Until then, Parliament President Laszlo Köver will act as acting head of state.
Sulyok supports Orban’s policies
Sulyok is known as a supporter of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s policies. In 2023, the Constitutional Court under his leadership made a ruling to the detriment of the Central European University (CEU), which had been operating in Budapest for years. Due to harassment by Orban’s government, it had to relocate most of its operations to Vienna from 2019.
The Constitutional Court ruled that the university had not become a victim of a breach of the law. The university was a thorn in the side of Orban, who was committed to “illiberal” politics: it represented liberal values and was also founded and financed by the US philanthropist George Soros.
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