President of Hungary

The president of Hungary, officially the president of the republic ( , , or ), is the head of state of Hungary. The office has a largely ceremonial (figurehead) role, but may also veto legislation or send legislation to the Constitutional Court for review. Most other executive powers, such as selecting government ministers and leading legislative initiatives, are vested in the office of the prime minister instead.

Presidential election

The Constitution of Hungary provides that the National Assembly (Országgyűlés) elects the president of Hungary for a term of five years. Presidents have a term limit of two terms of office.

The Constitution states that candidatures must be "proposed in writing by at least one fifth of the members of the National Assembly". They shall be submitted to the president of the National Assembly before the vote. A member of the National Assembly may nominate only one candidate.

If no candidate obtains the required majority, the second round is organized between the two candidates who obtained the most votes in the first round. The candidate obtaining the majority of the votes cast in the second round shall be elected president. If the second round is unsuccessful, a new election must be held after new candidatures are submitted.

Oath of office

According to Article 11 (6), the president of the republic must take an oath before the National Assembly.

The oath is as follows:

Competencies and prerogatives

According to the Basic Law, "the Head of State of Hungary is the President of the Republic who expresses the unity of the nation and oversees the democratic functioning of State institutions". The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces, "represents Hungary", "may participate in the sittings of the National Assembly and take the floor", and can "initiate laws" or a national referendum. The President determines the date of elections, participates in "decisions concerning particular states of law" (state of war, emergency...), convokes the National Assembly after the elections, can dissolve it, and can check the conformity of a law by the Constitutional Court.

The head of state "proposes the names of the Prime Minister, the President of the Curia, the Principal Public Prosecutor and the Commissioner of Fundamental Rights", is the sole nominator of judges and the President of the Budget Council. With the "countersignature of a member of the government", the head of state appoints the ministers, the governor of the National Bank of Hungary, the heads of independent regulatory entities, university professors, generals, mandates ambassadors and university rectors, and "awards decorations, rewards and titles". However, the president can refuse to make these appointments "if the statutory conditions are not fulfilled or if it concludes for a well-founded reason that there would be a serious disturbance to the democratic functioning of the State institutions".

However, Article 13 (2) of the Constitution provides for the removal of the president. This can only take place if the president "intentionally violates the Basic Law or another law in the performance of duties, or if they commit an offense voluntarily". In such a case, the motion for removal should be proposed by at least of the members of the National Assembly. Subsequently, in proceedings before the Constitutional Court, it is determined whether the president should be relieved of their duties.

If the court establishes the responsibility of the president, the president shall be removed from office.

Succession

Termination of mandate and incapacity

According to Article 12 (3), the term of office of the president of the republic ends:

When the term of office is completed;
By the death of the President while in office;
By an incapacity which renders impossible the performance of their duties for more than 90 days;
If they no longer meet the conditions for being eligible;
A declaration of incompatibility of duties;
By resignation;
By dismissal.

According to Article 12 (4), the National Assembly must decide by a majority of 2/3 of all its members to decide the incapacity of the president of the republic to exercise their responsibilities for more than 90 days.

Absence (temporary incapacity)

According to Article 14 (1), if the president of the republic is temporarily incapable of exercising their functions and powers, these are exercised by the speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, who can not delegate them to deputies and who is replaced in National Assembly duties by one of the deputy speakers of the National Assembly until the end of the president's incapacity.

According to Article 14 (2), the temporary incapacity of the president of the republic is decided by the National Assembly on the proposal of the president themselves, the government, or a member of the National Assembly.

! President !! Term!!Self-proposed laws !! Political vetoes !! Constitutional vetoes !! All

| rowspan=2|Árpád Göncz||1990–1995 || 3 || 0 || 7 || 10

| 1995–2000 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 3

| Ferenc Mádl||2000–2005 || 0 || 6 || 13 || 19

| László Sólyom||2005–2010 || 0 || 31 || 16 || 47

| Pál Schmitt||2010–2012 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

| rowspan=2|János Áder||2012–2017 || 0 || 28 || 5 || 33

|2017–2022 || 0 || 9 || 3 || 12

|Katalin Novák||2022–2024 || 0 || 3 || 2 || 5

|Tamás Sulyok

|2024–

! colspan=2|All!!3!!82!!47!!132

Latest election

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Hungarian presidential election, 2024

! style="text-align:left" | Candidate

! style="text-align:left" | Nominated by

! style="text-align:left" | Votes

! style="text-align:left" | %

| In favor of Tamás Sulyok

| Fidesz

| 134

| 67.67%

| Against Sulyok

| –

| 5

| 2.53%

| colspan=2 | Didn't vote

| 52

| 26.26%

| colspan=2 | Blank and invalid votes

| 7

| 3.54%

! colspan=2 | Total votes

! 146

! 73.74%

! colspan=2 | Total seats

! 198

! 100%

Notes

References

External links

Official website