Hungary to limit prime ministers to maximum eight-year terms

A constitutional amendment has been submitted to limit prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office, counting interruptions and all terms since 1990. The measure would bar Viktor Orban, who served five prime ministerial terms totaling about 20 years, from returning to the role. The proposal is framed as a step toward restoring rule of law and democratic checks and balances after a constitution was repeatedly rewritten and amended. The new government faces major challenges rebuilding public services and addressing a stagnant economy while many Fidesz loyalists remain in state institutions, media, and the judiciary. The amendment may be vulnerable because a future leader with a supermajority could submit changes to extend time in power.

"Hungary's new government, led by Peter Magyar, has put forward a constitutional amendment that would limit prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office, in effect barring Viktor Orban from returning to the role. The draft amendment was submitted on Wednesday, just over a week after the new government took office. It marked Magyar and his Tisza party's first step in dismantling a constitution that was unilaterally rewritten and amended more than a dozen times as Orban and his Fidesz party worked to turn Hungary into what they called a petri dish for illiberalism."

"A person who has served as prime minister, for a total of at least eight years, including any interruptions, may not be elected as prime minister, it says. The calculation would apply to all prime ministerial terms held since the country's democratisation in 1990, meaning that Orban, who had served five terms as prime minister since 1998, totalling 20 years in power, would be barred. The amendment is far from foolproof, however, as any future leader with a two-thirds or supermajority could submit an amendment to extend their time in power."

"During Magyar's more than two years on the campaign trail, he repeatedly promised to bring in term limits, describing them as part of a wider push to restore the country's democratic checks and balances. As his party celebrated its landslide victory in last month's election, analysts were swift to say the new government faced a formidable task in rebuilding crumbling public services and a stagnant economy, one compounded by the many Fidesz loyalists who remain in the state, media and judiciary. The draft amendment appears to be an attempt to ward off the threat of Orban seizing on the situation to mount a comeback, stating that term limits are essential to restoring the rule of law."

"Another line in the draft amendment, which is expected to pass given Tisza's own supermajority in parliament, paves the way for the dissolution of the controversial sovereignty protect"

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