Hungary Elects Ousted Justice András Baka as President, Marking Rejection of Orbán’s Authoritarian Legacy
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Hungary’s parliament has chosen former Supreme Court chief András Baka as president, signaling a powerful repudiation of Viktor Orbán’s anti-democratic judicial purge. Prime Minister Péter Magyar is advancing sweeping constitutional reforms to dismantle Orbán’s illiberal system.
Budapest – In a decisive step towards restoring democracy and the rule of law, Hungary’s parliament voted Tuesday to install András Baka, the former head of the country’s highest court, as the new president. Baka, a respected jurist who was ousted in 2011 after courageously criticizing Viktor Orbán’s authoritarian reforms, now returns as a symbol of resistance to right-wing power grabs. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial, Baka’s election is a clear message that Hungary is breaking with the dark era of Orbán’s judicial purges and democratic backsliding.
The election follows the victory of 45-year-old Prime Minister Péter Magyar, whose triumph over Orbán four months ago signaled hope for progressive change. Since taking office, Magyar has moved swiftly to dismantle the illiberal structures entrenched by the previous regime. His government has secured the release of €16 billion in EU funds that Orbán’s corruption had frozen, established an office to recover assets looted by the former government, and dissolved several state-linked foundations that served as vehicles for cronyism.
In September, Magyar announced an ambitious plan for a broad constitutional consultation, paving the way for a new, democratic constitution to be approved by referendum. This initiative aims to replace the 2011 constitution, which was rammed through by Orbán and designed to concentrate power in the hands of the ruling party, undermining checks and balances.
The transition also saw the removal of the incumbent president, Tamás Sulyok, a holdover from Orbán’s regime. After Sulyok refused to resign, parliament passed a constitutional amendment lowering the retirement age for judges and linking the amendment to Sulyok’s removal. The same amendment introduced a twelve-year term limit for parliamentary members, a necessary step to prevent the entrenchment of political elites from the former ruling party.
Baka, who previously served on the European Court of Human Rights, addressed parliament after his election, stressing the urgent need for a constitution that reflects the will of the people and is shaped through open, inclusive debate. His words resonated with those seeking to undo the damage of Orbán’s years in power.
These developments come as Hungary struggles to overcome the legacy of Orbán’s constitutional manipulation and the lingering presence of his loyalists in key institutions, which analysts warn could pose obstacles to the reform agenda. Nevertheless, the election of Baka and the bold reforms of the Magyar government represent a turning point in Hungary’s fight for democracy and social justice.