Hungary passes term-limit reform to block Orban comeback

Hungarian members of parliament have approved a constitutional amendment limiting prime ministerial terms to eight years, in a move that effectively blocks Viktor Orban from a potential return to power. The vote took place in Budapest on Monday and passed overwhelmingly, despite opposition from Orban's Fidesz party. It is one of the first major reforms introduced by Prime Minister Peter Magyar since his Tisza party won April's parliamentary elections.

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Lawmakers voted 150 in favour, 50 against and six abstained. The reform uses Tisza's constitutional majority in parliament and is described as a major campaign promise of Magyar's party. Magyar has said he wants to steer Hungary back towards the European Union mainstream, and in his first weeks in office he has also pledged to adopt the euro.

Last week, he agreed to lift Hungary's longstanding veto against Ukraine's accession process to join the EU, and Kyiv officially started down that track on Monday. The vote also opens the way for further institutional changes, including the possible disbandment of the Sovereignty Protection Office. That body was created in 2023 to protect Hungary from what officials called foreign influence, but it was used to investigate journalists and non-governmental organisations critical of Orban.

MPs on Monday voted to scrap the provision that underpinned its establishment, and a bill to dissolve the agency is expected to come before parliament later this month. The office's future is likely to be watched closely because it has been one of the most visible symbols of the previous government's approach to political oversight. The reform matters beyond domestic politics because it marks a sharp break with the 16 years Orban spent in power and signals a broader effort to reset Hungary's relationship with the EU.

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Orban's rule was repeatedly a source of tension with Brussels, particularly over support for Ukraine and concerns about democratic standards. Magyar's government is now using its parliamentary strength to reverse some of those policies, while also trying to show that Hungary is moving back towards closer alignment with EU institutions. The change also comes after a rapid political shift in Hungary.

Tisza's landslide victory in April ended Orban's long tenure, and the new government has moved quickly to translate that mandate into constitutional and legal changes. Orban was re-elected leader of Fidesz on Saturday, despite the election defeat, underlining that he remains the central figure in the opposition. The parliamentary vote suggests the new administration intends to use its majority not only to govern, but also to reshape the rules of the political system.

What remains unclear is how quickly the wider package of reforms will be completed and whether the planned dissolution of the Sovereignty Protection Office will proceed as expected. It is also not yet clear how Fidesz will respond in parliament or in public to the new term-limit rule. The next key test is the bill expected later this month, which would formally dissolve the agency and further define the direction of Magyar's reform agenda.

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