Chess grandmaster Judit Polgar announced on Monday that she will not accept the nomination for the presidency of Hungary, just a day after Prime Minister Peter Magyar stated he would propose her for the role, according to Reuters.
On Saturday, President Tamas Sulyok enacted a constitutional amendment that led to the termination of his mandate, a decision made by the Tisza party that defeated Viktor Orban in the recent elections.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Magyar revealed that he would propose Polgar, considered by many to be the greatest female chess player in history, to assume the presidency until a new constitution is adopted.
Magyar noted that Polgar held the number one spot in the world rankings for female chess players for 26 years, has been a five-time Olympic champion, is an international grandmaster, and was awarded the Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen. Recently, she was also elected a member of Christ’s College at the University of Cambridge.
Polgar Rejects the Proposal
The Hungarian chess player expressed gratitude for the proposal in a Facebook post.
“However, I do not feel strong enough to take on the historic responsibility of uniting a divided nation, so I cannot accept the request,” she wrote.
Polgar, who was featured in the documentary “The Queen of Chess” released in February, is the only woman to have ranked in the world’s top 10 in a male-dominated sport.
The Hungarian Parliament will elect a new president who will serve until a new constitution comes into effect or for a maximum of five years.
“The president of the republic must be someone who defends the unity of the nation and constitutionalism,” Magyar stated on Monday in parliament.
Tamas Sulyok, elected in 2024 by the Hungarian parliament with the support of the Fidesz-KDNP majority led by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was expected to conclude his term in March 2029.
