Hungary has entered an unusual constitutional transition in which one woman is temporarily performing the duties of head of state, while another has taken over the leadership of parliament. The arrangement will remain in place until Hungary’s next president is elected and assumes office, with chess legend Judit Polgár now emerging as the governing Tisza Party’s preferred candidate.
Ágnes Forsthoffer, Speaker of Hungary’s National Assembly, began exercising presidential powers on 20 July after Tamás Sulyok’s mandate as president came to an end. Parliament has consequently appointed Deputy Speaker Anikó Hallerné Nagy to perform Forsthoffer’s parliamentary duties during the interim period.
Why does Hungary have an acting president?
Under Hungary’s constitutional system, the Speaker of the National Assembly temporarily exercises the powers of the head of state when the presidency becomes vacant and a successor has not yet taken office.
This does not mean that Forsthoffer has been elected president. She is temporarily carrying out the constitutional duties attached to the office until parliament elects Hungary’s next president.
Hungary is a parliamentary republic, meaning that executive power is primarily exercised by the government and the prime minister. The president is the country’s head of state and is expected to represent national unity and safeguard the democratic functioning of state institutions. Although the position is largely ceremonial, the president also signs legislation, may send laws back to parliament or refer them to the Constitutional Court, appoints certain senior officials and serves as commander-in-chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
Sulyok’s mandate ended after he signed Hungary’s 17th constitutional amendment. The amendment provided for the termination of his term after its promulgation, creating the current temporary vacancy.
Parliament appoints an acting speaker
As Forsthoffer is now performing presidential duties, she cannot simultaneously carry out the day-to-day responsibilities of parliamentary speaker.
The National Assembly therefore appointed Deputy Speaker Anikó Hallerné Nagy to perform the speaker’s duties. The decision was supported by 140 MPs, with no votes against and two abstentions.
Photo: MTI
Hallerné Nagy’s appointment is temporary. It will expire when the newly elected president assumes office and Forsthoffer returns to her position as Speaker of the National Assembly.
The arrangement means that, for the time being, Hungary’s two highest temporary constitutional positions are both occupied by women. However, neither appointment constitutes the election of a permanent president or a new permanent speaker.
Judit Polgár emerges as the leading candidate
Attention has now turned to the identity of Hungary’s next president.
Andrea Bujdosó, leader of the Tisza Party’s parliamentary group, told the National Assembly on Monday that the group unanimously considered Judit Polgár the most suitable candidate for the presidency, MTI said.
According to Bujdosó, a head of state should possess three essential qualities: dignity, integrity and empathy. She described Polgár as patriotic, honest, courageous and internationally distinguished, arguing that the former chess champion would be capable of expressing the unity of the Hungarian nation.
Polgár is widely regarded as the strongest female chess player in history and is one of Hungary’s best-known international public figures. Crucially for the Tisza Party, she has no conventional party-political background. Prime Minister Péter Magyar previously said his party wanted a president without previous party affiliation who could serve the country above political divisions. As we wrote yesterday, PM Magyar to ask chess legend Judit Polgár to become Hungary’s President
Nevertheless, Polgár has not yet been formally nominated. Bujdosó said the Tisza parliamentary group would make its final decision at its next meeting. Details: Tisza officially names presidential candidate as PM Magyar sets criteria
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When will Hungary’s next president be elected?
The precise date of the presidential vote has not yet been announced. Under the amended constitutional framework, parliament is expected to elect a new head of state within 30 days of the vacancy arising.
Hungarian presidents are not elected directly by the public. Instead, the National Assembly chooses the head of state, making parliamentary support decisive.
Given Tisza’s dominant position in parliament, its eventual nominee is likely to enter the vote as the clear favourite. However, until the formal nomination and parliamentary ballot take place, Polgár remains a prospective candidate rather than Hungary’s president-elect.
Until the process is completed, Forsthoffer will continue to exercise presidential powers, while Hallerné Nagy will oversee the work of the National Assembly. Hungary therefore remains under a constitutionally regulated interim arrangement as parliament prepares to choose the country’s next permanent head of state.
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