Hungary's President Refuses to Resign

Hungarian President Tamas Schoyok has rejected Prime Minister Peter Marki-Zay's ultimatum to resign by May 31. In an interview with the index.hu portal, Schoyok stated that he will fulfill his duties until the end of his presidential term.  

“Currently, there are no legal or constitutional grounds that could compel me to resign. I have sworn to uphold the fundamental law and the constitutional order. This ties me to the entire nation, not just to the political majority or minority,” he emphasized.

Schoyok noted that there are “social and political trends aimed at restricting presidential powers,” but asserted that there are “no constitutional grounds” for resignation. Earlier, Marki-Zay had called on the president to voluntarily resign by May 31. He claims that Schoyok has no right to remain in his position, as he failed to prevent abuses that the previous government led by Viktor Orban permitted in political, social, and financial sectors over the years.

According to Hungarian legislation, the president is elected by parliament for a five-year term, and no new government has ever demanded his resignation before. Schoyok was elected as the head of state in 2024. A petition has now been started in Hungary to show support for the president. Former Prime Minister Orban and his Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Alliance party, now in opposition, have expressed support for him. They believe that demands for a new prime minister create an extremely dangerous precedent that could lead to a usurpation of power and contradict the country’s constitution.