András Baka, previously the head of Hungary’s Supreme Court, has been nominated by the ruling Tisza party as the country’s next president. The announcement was made by the party’s parliamentary group on Facebook, with elections expected to occur soon.
Baka, 73, is anticipated to assume the role, a largely ceremonial position, in a move that symbolizes Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s efforts to dismantle the power structures put in place by former premier Viktor Orbán. Magyar claims this change is backed by a strong mandate from the April elections, where his party triumphed with significant voter support.
Tisza lawmakers highlighted Baka’s commitment to the separation of powers and his advocacy for rule of law and judicial independence. They expressed confidence that his vast experience and professional independence would be valuable as Hungary works towards establishing a new constitutional framework.
Magyar’s victory in the election ended Orbán’s lengthy 16-year governance. Magyar has vowed to restore democratic standards and urged officials appointed by Orbán’s administration to resign.
An important goal for Magyar was the removal of former President Tamás Sulyok, whom he described as a “puppet” of Orbán. A constitutional amendment passed by Magyar’s party ended Sulyok’s presidency last month. This amendment also dictates that the new president will serve until a new constitution is implemented or for up to five years.
András Baka was removed from his position as the head of the Supreme Court in 2011 by Orbán’s government, three years before his term was due to end. The European Court of Human Rights determined in 2014 that Baka was dismissed due to criticisms of the government, which negatively impacted democratic freedoms in Hungary. These allegations were refuted by Orbán’s administration.
Under the current Hungarian constitution, the president is primarily a symbolic figure with limited powers to veto or request reviews of legislation. The opposition party Fidesz has decided not to participate in the presidential election process, accusing Tisza of pursuing authoritarian policies, charges which the Tisza party denies.