Hungary's Tisza Party Nominates Orban Critic Andras Baka as President
Hungary's ruling Tisza party, led by pro-EU Prime Minister Péter Magyar, has nominated former supreme court judge András Baka for the largely ceremonial presidency. Baka, 73, was removed from the court in 2012 after criticizing Viktor Orbán’s judicial reforms, which the EU and US deemed illegal. The European Court of Human Rights later ruled in Baka’s favor. Parliament is expected to confirm him due to Tisza’s two-thirds majority, replacing Tamás Sulyok, an Orbán ally. Chess grandmaster Judit Polgár had declined the nomination.
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Hungary Elects András Baka as President, Signaling Return to Rule of Law
On 11 August 2026, the Hungarian parliament elected András Baka, a legal scholar and former Supreme Court president, as the country's new president. Baka, who was unlawfully ousted by Viktor Orbán's Fidesz government in 2011 in a case later condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, was nominated by the ruling Tisza party. The election followed a constitutional amendment that ended the term of Fidesz-appointed president Tamás Sulyok. Prime Minister Péter Magyar's initial choice, chess grandmaster Judit Polgár, declined the post after backlash over lack of consultation. Baka's election is seen as a deliberate choice for an independent president who will act as a check on government power, rather than a rubber stamp. His term will last until a new constitution is adopted, for a maximum of five years.
Hungary Elects András Baka as President, Signaling Return to Rule of Law
On 11 August 2026, the Hungarian parliament elected András Baka, a legal scholar and former Supreme Court president, as the country's new president. Baka, who was unlawfully removed from his judicial post by Viktor Orbán's Fidesz government in 2011—a move later condemned by the European Court of Human Rights—was nominated by the ruling Tisza party, which holds a two-thirds majority. The election followed a constitutional amendment that ended the term of Fidesz-appointed president Tamás Sulyok. Prime Minister Péter Magyar's initial choice, chess grandmaster Judit Polgár, declined the post after internal backlash. Baka's election is seen as a deliberate choice for a president who will serve as an independent check on government power, rather than a rubber stamp. His term is limited to a maximum of five years or until a new constitution is adopted.
Orban critic Andras Baka elected President of Hungary
Hungary's parliament has elected Andras Baka, a former Supreme Court president and vocal critic of long-time Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the new head of state. Baka lost his position as chief justice in 2012 after criticizing Orban's judicial policies, including a forced retirement age reduction for judges. The election saw 140 votes in favor and six against, with Orban's Fidesz party and its ally KDNP boycotting the vote. The presidency became vacant after the previous president, Tamas Sulyok, an Orban ally, was forced out in July via a constitutional amendment, which Fidesz called 'tyrannical.' Baka, who served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights, described Hungary under Orban as an 'occupied state.' New Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who succeeded Orban in April, stated that Baka is expected to serve only until a new constitution is drafted, a process expected to take one to one and a half years.
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Hungary on a Reform Course: András Baka Set to Become New President
András Baka, a former judge at the European Court of Human Rights who was removed from his position as President of the Supreme Court in 2011 after criticizing Viktor Orbán's judicial reforms, is set to become Hungary's new president on Tuesday. The nomination comes four months after Orbán's election defeat and as Prime Minister Péter Magyar dismantles the Orbán-era system. Baka was chosen by Magyar's Tisza party in a secret ballot and accepted the nomination 'to serve the nation.' The Hungarian parliament, where Magyar holds a two-thirds majority, is expected to elect Baka. Orbán's Fidesz party has announced it will boycott the vote, calling the process a 'soap opera' and claiming Baka would be a 'marionette.' The presidency became vacant after Magyar pushed through a constitutional amendment to remove Orbán loyalist Tamás Sulyok. Baka's election is seen as part of broader reforms to the judiciary and other institutions.
András Baka to Become Hungary's Next President Amid Transition from Orbán Era
Hungary's parliament is set to elect jurist András Baka as the next president in a secret ballot, with the Tisza party's 71% supermajority ensuring his victory. Baka, 73, will assume office on August 19, filling the vacancy left by Tamás Sulyok's ouster via a constitutional amendment. The appointment carries historical irony: Baka was removed from the Supreme Court presidency in 2011 by Viktor Orbán's Fidesz government through a similar legal maneuver, which he then denounced as appalling. Now, he calls the same tactic 'state liberation.' Baka's legacy is divisive due to his judicial roles in the 1956 Revolution and 2006 police brutality cases. His selection was criticized as non-transparent, contradicting Tisza's promises of public debate. Baka has already clashed with Prime Minister Péter Magyar over a 12-year term limit for MPs, signaling he will not be a rubber stamp. His presidency is expected to be transitional, lasting until a new constitution is adopted or up to five years.
Hungary's Ruling Party Nominates Former Judge Andras Baka, a Orban Critic, for President
Hungary's ruling Tisza party, led by pro-EU Prime Minister Peter Magyar, has nominated former supreme court judge Andras Baka as its candidate for the largely ceremonial role of president. Baka was removed from the supreme court in 2012 after condemning a move by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban to lower the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 62, which he called a judicial purge. The EU and US deemed the age-limit reduction illegal, and the European Court of Human Rights later ruled in Baka's favor. Parliament will vote on Tuesday to replace Tamas Sulyok, an Orban ally who stepped down in July after a constitutional amendment truncated his term. Before Baka, Magyar had approached chess legend Judit Polgar, who declined the offer.
Hungary's Ruling Party Nominates Former Judge Andras Baka for President
Hungary's ruling Tisza party, led by pro-EU Prime Minister Peter Magyar, has nominated former supreme court judge Andras Baka as its candidate for the largely ceremonial role of president. Baka was removed from the supreme court in 2012 after criticizing a government move to lower the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 62, which he called a judicial purge. The EU and US deemed the age-limit reduction illegal, and the European Court of Human Rights later ruled in Baka's favor. Parliament will vote on Tuesday to replace Tamas Sulyok, an Orban ally who stepped down in July after a constitutional amendment truncated his term. Baka was chosen by secret ballot from a shortlist of 10 candidates, after chess legend Judit Polgar declined the offer.
Hungary's Ruling Party Nominates Former Judge Andras Baka for President
Hungary's ruling Tisza party, led by pro-EU Prime Minister Peter Magyar, has nominated former supreme court judge Andras Baka as its candidate for the largely ceremonial role of president. Baka was removed from the supreme court in 2012 after criticizing a government move to lower the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 62, which he called a judicial purge. The EU and US deemed the age-limit reduction illegal, and the European Court of Human Rights later ruled in Baka's favor. Parliament will vote on Tuesday to replace Tamas Sulyok, an Orban ally who stepped down in July after a constitutional amendment truncated his term. Before Baka, Magyar had approached chess legend Judit Polgar, who declined the offer.
Hungary's Tisza Party Nominates Orban Critic Andras Baka as President
Hungary's new ruling party, Tisza, has nominated former supreme court judge Andras Baka as the next state president. The 73-year-old Baka, a critic of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was removed as supreme court judge in 2011 after criticizing Orban's judicial reforms. Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced the nomination on social media, praising Baka's commitment to the rule of law and separation of powers. The election in parliament is expected to be a formality as Tisza holds a two-thirds majority. Baka replaces Tamas Sulyok, whom Magyar had called a 'puppet of the Orban government.' The nomination follows chess grandmaster Judit Polgar's decline of the position.
Hungary's Tisza Party Nominates Orbán Critic András Baka as President
Hungary's new ruling party, Tisza, has nominated former supreme court judge András Baka as the next state president, following the decline of chess grandmaster Judit Polgár. Baka, 73, is a known critic of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and was removed as supreme court judge in 2011 after criticizing the Orbán government's judicial reforms. Prime Minister Péter Magyar praised Baka's commitment to the rule of law and judicial independence. The election in parliament is expected to be a formality as Tisza holds a two-thirds majority. Baka will replace Tamás Sulyok, whom Magyar had called a 'puppet of the Orbán government.' The ousted Fidesz party plans to boycott the vote.