Hungary's Parliament voted 139-6 on Monday to pass a constitutional amendment removing President Tamas Sulyok and remaking parts of the state built under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban [1]. The amendment, which its authors say is meant to "restore rule-of-law democracy," cleared the 199-member chamber after Orban's Fidesz lawmakers boycotted the session and Tisza deputies rose for a standing ovation [1].

The measure would remove Sulyok, hand the presidential election back to Parliament, impose a 12-year term limit on lawmakers, make judicial changes and create an office to investigate financial abuses under Orban's government [1]. Prime Minister Peter Magyar, whose pro-European Tisza party won a two-thirds majority in April, told a news conference the vote "closed an era" and "started the transformation of the Orban legal system" [1].

Where Magyar's public framing treats the ballot as the transformation itself, the operative step has not happened. Sulyok has five days to sign the amendment into law and has not said whether he will; Tisza has vowed to open impeachment if he refuses [1]. As an Orban-era appointee, he retains the power to refer bills to the Constitutional Court, a route his opponents fear he could use to stall [1]. Until he signs or is removed, no new president is chosen, the anti-abuse office is unstaffed and the term limits do not bind anyone. Orban, in Washington for the World Cup final, posted a photo of Magyar captioned "Democratic Hungary: 1990-2026" [1].

-- HENDRIK VAN DER BERG, Brussels