Overview
- Prime Minister Péter Magyar publicly proposed former chess champion Judit Polgar as his candidate for president and said he will meet her to ask if she will accept the post.
- Polgar has not issued a public response to the offer and her acceptance is required before Parliament can proceed with an election.
- The outgoing president Tamás Sulyok left office after signing a parliamentary amendment that ended his mandate early, and the speaker of Parliament is serving as interim head of state.
- Magyar’s Tisza party holds a two thirds parliamentary majority that must elect a new president before the national holiday on August 20, and the role is expected to be largely ceremonial until a new constitution takes effect.
- Supporters say Polgar’s national stature and work in education could help restore unity, while opponents including Viktor Orbán’s supporters and human rights groups have criticized the constitutional maneuvers as a consolidation of Magyar’s power.