BUDAPEST – Hungary’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment on Monday that allows prime ministers to serve for a maximum of eight years, effectively barring former premier Viktor Orban from holding the role again.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar ousted Orban in an election in April after 16 years, gaining a two-thirds majority in parliament that allows his party to roll back or change legislation passed by Orban’s Fidesz, including the constitution.
The amendment says that those who had previously held the role of prime minister for at least eight years “cannot be elected prime minister.” This applies to prime ministerial terms held after the date of May 2, 1990.
Prime ministers will have to leave office after a total of eight years, or two terms.
The constitutional amendment also paves the way for the dissolution of the Sovereignty Protection Office, set up by Orban’s government, that stigmatised opposition figures and journalists for serving “foreign interests.”
In addition, the amendment gives back the founders’ rights of so-called public-interest asset-management foundations to the state. Orban’s government transferred state assets worth hundreds of billions of forints to these foundations.
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