Hungary’s parliament on Wednesday approved a bill from Orban’s Fidesz party that makes it harder for lawmakers to remove a president from office in future. With some polls indicating a double-digit lead for the opposition, Orban is considering taking over the presidency and changing the laws to turn it into the most powerful post in the country, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity.
Considering a shift to a powerful presidency
With several surveys showing the Opposition ahead by a double-digit margin, the far-right leader is weighing the option of assuming the presidency and reshaping laws to elevate it above all other offices. Orban, 62, who is close to both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, floated the idea of moving towards a presidential system after a meeting at the White House last month.
Global parallels raised
Trump has openly mused about illegally holding on to power, both after losing the 2020 election and after his current term. Putin, meanwhile, has alternated between the roles of president and prime minister across his decades-long rule. Orban has said the idea was “always on the table”.
Government denies plan for presidential system
Hungary’s government spokesman on Thursday rejected a media report suggesting that Orban was preparing to introduce a “presidential system”. He issued the clarification on X after Bloomberg reported that the nationalist leader, who faces an election likely to take place in April 2026, was considering the move.
Ceremonial presidency under current system
Citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter, the Bloomberg report said Orban was examining ways to secure his hold on power regardless of the election result and was considering redefining the presidency into Hungary’s most powerful office. Since 1990, Hungary has functioned as a parliamentary democracy, with the presidency largely ceremonial.
Kovacs dismisses report as ‘leftist fake news’
Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs rejected any claim of a plan to change the system. “Let’s be clear: Repeating this idea again and again is nothing more than the usual leftist fake-news routine,” Kovacs wrote on X.
Tough election ahead for Orban
In power since 2010, Orban faces a challenging election as Hungary’s economy has stagnated for three years. Opposition challenger Peter Magyar and his centre-right Tisza party lead most polls over Orban’s Fidesz.
Introducing a presidential system would require amending Hungary’s constitution, which is possible only with a two-thirds parliamentary majority — a majority Orban currently holds.
Orban says idea considered for years
In an interview with private channel ATV last month, Orban said he had considered the option of shifting to a presidential system after every election victory since 2010, but had consistently decided against pursuing it.
