Tamás Sulyok is a Hungarian jurist and politician who has been active in the fields of law and constitutional adjudication. He served as President of Hungary between March 2024 and July 2026. Following his tenure as President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary, Sulyok was elected president during the political crisis of 2024. Throughout his term, Sulyok advocated for national unity and transparency, but was removed from office by parliamentary decision in July 2026 as a result of constitutional reforms initiated by the new government that came to power in 2026.^{【1】 【2】}

Sulyok was elected as a member of the Constitutional Court of Hungary in 2014 and appointed as its president two years later in 2016, a position he held until 2024.

^{Hungary's new president, Tamás Sulyok}(Anadolu Ajansı)

In February 2024 in Hungary, it was revealed that then-President Katalin Novák had granted amnesty to an individual involved in covering up sexual abuse cases at a state-run children’s home. The leak of this amnesty decision triggered public outrage and a political crisis, leading Katalin Novák to resign on 10 February 2024, acknowledging her mistake.^{【3】 【4】}

Following the crisis, the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition sought a new presidential candidate. On 22 February 2024, after a party faction meeting in Balatonalmádi, Fidesz Group Leader Máté Kocsis announced Tamás Sulyok, then President of the Constitutional Court, as the official presidential candidate. On 26 February 2024, during a closed vote in the National Assembly of Hungary, Sulyok received 134 votes out of 147 parliamentarians and was elected as Hungary’s seventh president since 1989. In his inaugural statement, Sulyok emphasized the importance of avoiding pre-judgment and stated that mutual trust is the foundation of national unity. He pledged a transparent approach to amnesty processes and was officially sworn in as president on 5 March 2024.^{【5】 【6】}

^{Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan ile Macaristan Cumhurbaşkanı Tamas Sulyok} (Anadolu Ajansı)

President Tamás Sulyok undertook an official visit to Türkiye on 12 December 2024 to attend the closing events of the Turkish-Hungarian Year of Culture. In the Presidential Complex in Ankara, he was received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a closed bilateral meeting. Also present were Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and Head of Communication Fahrettin Altun. That same evening, Sulyok attended the closing concert at the Beştepe National Congress and Culture Center alongside Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

^{Emine Erdoğan and the spouse of the President of Hungary, Zsuzsanna Nagy}(Anadolu Ajansı)

As part of the visit program, Zsuzsanna Nagy, wife of Tamás Sulyok, met with Emine Erdoğan, wife of the President of the Republic of Türkiye, at the Presidential National Library. The two first ladies jointly toured the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Exhibition housed within the library. Zsuzsanna Nagy closely examined the historical artifacts and personal belongings of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, underscoring the importance of cultural ties.^【7】

^{TBMM Başkanı Kurtulmuş, Macaristan Cumhurbaşkanı Sulyok tarafından kabul edildi.} (Anadolu Ajansı)

On 28 September 2025, the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, and a parliamentary delegation arrived in Budapest, Hungary, for official talks. The delegation included Fatih Dönmez, Chairman of the Türkiye-Hungary Friendship Group and former AK Party Member of Parliament for Eskişehir, along with other TBMM members. During the visit, Kurtulmuş was scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with the President of the National Assembly of Hungary, László Kövér, meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and be received by President Tamás Sulyok. The discussions were expected to cover bilateral and inter-parliamentary relations as well as global and regional issues.^【8】

In April 2026, the Tisza Party led by Péter Magyar won a decisive majority in Hungary’s general elections. Shortly after the new government assumed office, Prime Minister Magyar requested President Sulyok’s resignation and set 31 May 2026 as the final deadline. After Sulyok refused to resign, Magyar met with him on 1 June 2026 at Sándor Palace. Following the meeting, Magyar held a press conference in which he stated that the president had declined to step down and announced the initiation of the necessary constitutional procedures.^【9】

^{Macaristan Parlamentosu} (Anadolu Ajansı)

On 13 July 2026, the Hungarian Parliament voted on Amendment 17 to the Fundamental Law (Constitution), which aimed to directly terminate the president’s term on grounds of loss of public confidence. The session, in which Sulyok did not participate and former ruling party Fidesz MPs boycotted both the debate and final vote, resulted in the amendment being adopted with 139 votes in favor and only six against, with no abstentions.^【10】

Under the adopted amendment, the president’s term was to end on the day following the entry into force of the constitutional change. Sulyok is required to sign and promulgate the amendment within five days of receiving it from the Speaker of Parliament.

Prime Minister Magyar stated that if Sulyok were to request a preliminary review from the Constitutional Court on procedural grounds, this would trigger a suspension process during which the president’s powers would be suspended. After the vote, Magyar described the parliamentary decision as “historic.”^【11】