Hungary’s New PM Dismantles Orbán’s Power Base as Presidential Ally Ousted

Peter Szijjártó, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s successor, is systematically dismantling the power structures left behind by the former leader who governed Hungary for 16 consecutive years. Orbán, who faced repeated accusations of undermining democratic institutions during his lengthy tenure, has seen his influence rapidly eroded since losing office. The new administration has already moved to limit prime ministerial terms and curtail broadcasts on state media, which had been widely regarded as Orbán’s propaganda apparatus.

In a significant constitutional reform approved this week, President Tamás Sulyok—long viewed as Orbán’s loyalist and described by critics as his “puppet president”—has been removed from office. The development marks a dramatic reversal for an individual who was seen as closely aligned with the previous government.

Mdlyár, keen to emphasise the urgency of these changes, was photographed waiting for Sulyok to sign the constitutional amendment. In a pointed social media post accompanied by a photo of himself wearing sunglasses, Mdlyár wrote simply: “Tick-tock, tick-tock,” underscoring the accelerating pace of his government’s reforms and the mounting pressure on those associated with Orbán’s administration.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.