Photo by Keszthelyi Timi on Unsplash
The ruling Fidesz party has announced that Tamás Sulyok, president of Hungary’s Constitutional Court, will be Fidesz-KDNP’s presidential candidate.
Fidesz faction leader Máté Kocsis said, “He is the best person for the job, as he can best express the unity of the nation.”
Kocsis said that Sulyok was proposed by Viktor Orbán.
Orbán subsequently commented on Sulyok’s selection in a state radio interview, saying “We thought that experience, proficiency in constitutional and legal matters, knowledge of international law, and a suitable career path made Tamás Sulyok the most suitable candidate.”
The resignations of President Katalin Novák and former justice minister Judit Varga following a presidential pardon scandal triggered what observers have referred to as Orbán’s biggest political crisis.
The Hungarian parliament elected Sulyok, who keeps a low profile, as president of the Constitutional Court in 2016. He told the Index media outlet in 2021 that he has “never been interested in politics in my life”.
The Hungarian parliament can on February 26 accept Katalin Novák’s resignation following the presidential pardon scandal surrounding a paedophilia case.
As the Fidesz-KDNP coalition holds a two-thirds majority, it is all but guaranteed that Sulyok will become Hungary’s next president.
According to current media reports the opposition parties are unlikely to formally nominate a joint opposition presidential candidate, who would be able to give a 15-minute speech at parliament.
Sulyok could be elected by parliament as early as next week, local media reports state.
Kocsis also announced that Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch will lead Fidesz’ list of candidates for the European Parliament elections in June.
Deutsch, one of the founders of Fidesz, has frequently criticised the EU. He recently accused the Union of using legislative tools to “grossly, radically” curb freedom of speech and opinion.
