Elected president of Hungary? Here is a plan for a possible defeat in the parliamentary elections

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, due to the possibility of defeat in next year's parliamentary elections, is considering the possibility of taking over the office of president and changing the constitution to make this office the strongest in the country, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a source close to the matter.

The longest-serving leader in the European Union, who is losing in the polls, is considering ways to stay in power regardless of the results of the elections scheduled for April next year, Bloomberg noted.

The agency recalled that Orban praised the advantages of the presidential system after a meeting at the White House last month with US President Donald Trump, saying the plan “was always taken into account.” Bloomberg claims that the examples of Turkey and Russia could provide inspiration for the Hungarian leader.

The possibility of the Hungarian government attempting to change the constitution to give more power to the head of state is not ruled out by the opposition TISZA party, which ranks first in most pre-election polls, Bloomberg reported.

If Fidesz (Orban's party – PAP) wins in April, Orban could assume the presidency while handing over government affairs to a trusted allysuch as Janos Lazar, the ambitious Minister of Construction and Transport. If he loses, as president he could limit Hungary's ability to rebuild its position as a loyal EU member after years of hostility towards Brussels. However, this path would be risky if it was deemed to be contrary to the will of society, a person familiar with the Hungarian government's decision-making processes told the agency.

Bloomberg recalled that in Hungary, it is the parliament that votes on who becomes the head of state, so “time is a key issue.” “Unless Fidesz achieves another landslide victory, Orban will have to use his current parliamentary majority before the April elections” to assume the presidency. The term of office of the current head of state, Tamas Sulyok, expires in 2029, so he would have to step down before its end.

According to Daniel Hegedus, director for Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin, a possible transition to the presidential system would probably take place in early 2026. “This would be a contingency plan to save the system and an admission that it cannot be done through elections,” Hegedus said. “It's risky, but it can't be ruled out,” he added.

These reports were commented on Thursday on the X platform by the government spokesman in Budapest, Zoltan Kovacs, writing that “returning to this topic is nothing more than ordinary leftist fake news.”

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

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