Hungary's president agrees to stand down

Hungary's President Tamas Sulyok has avoided the prospect of impeachment by signing legislation ejecting him from his own post, as the fall-out of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's Tisza party landslide election victory in April continues to change the country's political landscape.

The amendment, passed with a majority last Monday, ends the president's term citing "serious loss of confidence" in him.

Sulyok confirmed he would agree to step down, but accused Magyar's government of violating the rule of law.

He said in a statement that the amendment marked a "breaking point in Hungarian constitutional democracy" and said the "core values of a free society ... have been trampled underfoot for the sake of political power".

"It sets a negative precedent that inflicts a deep wound on the constitutional values of democracy," he added.

Sulyok was appointed in early 2024 by members of the Fidesz Party of former prime minister Viktor Orban, who ruled the country until the party lost the election this spring.

The chamber will now select a new president, with parliamentary speaker Agnes Forsthoffer filling the role in the interim.

Since the Tisza party of Magyar won a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the election, Magyar has focused on removing political appointees from the Orban era.

Sulyok had little choice but to quit after the passing of a constitutional amendment relating to his position.

One of Magyar's first acts as the newly-elected prime minister was to visit Brussels to reset relations with the EU.

"All Hungarians know that this is a shared victory," he said on election night. "Our homeland made up its mind. It wants to live again. It wants to be a European country."

Hungary's return to the European fold was greeted warmly across the continent, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying "France welcomes the victory of democratic participation, the Hungarian people's commitment to the values of the EU, and Hungary's commitment to Europe", and with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez adding "Today Europe wins and European values win".

Speaking about the latest development, Orban said "tyranny is no longer a threat but reality. If this could be done to the president, tomorrow, no one will be safe".