Orbán Allies Rally in Budapest Against Plans to Oust Hungarian President Sulyok

Thousands of supporters of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gathered in Budapest on Thursday for a major protest rally against the new government's plans to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office.

The rally, held at Orbán's urging, was one of his first significant public mobilizations since his Fidesz party lost power in Hungary's April parliamentary elections — ending 14 years of nearly uninterrupted rule that transformed Hungary's political and judicial landscape.

What's at Stake

Tamás Sulyok, a former Constitutional Court president, was installed as Hungary's head of state by Fidesz shortly before the election, in a move critics described as an attempt to entrench the party's influence even if it lost power. The new governing coalition — a diverse alliance of parties that ousted Orbán — has moved to remove Sulyok, whom they consider a partisan figure loyal to the old regime.

Under Hungary's constitution, the parliament can remove the president with a two-thirds majority vote. The new coalition holds enough seats to do so, and a vote is expected in the coming weeks.

Orbán Calls It a 'Coup'

Orbán, speaking to the crowd in Budapest, characterized the government's actions as an unconstitutional power grab. "They want to destroy everything we built," he said, according to state media. "We will not allow it." His supporters waved Hungarian and Fidesz flags, and some held signs reading "Sulyok Stay" and "Hungary Is Not for Sale."

The new government has rejected these characterizations. Prime Minister Peter Magyar — whose surprise rise earlier this year powered the coalition's upset victory — said Sulyok's removal was a legitimate constitutional act aimed at ensuring an impartial head of state.

Hungary's New Political Landscape

Orbán's fall after 14 years in power was one of the most consequential political events in Central Europe in recent memory. The new government has pledged to restore judicial independence, repair relations with the European Union — strained under Orbán's tenure — and reverse democratic backsliding documented by international observers.