Hungarian MPs have approved the limits of the PM to prevent the return of Orban | Political Affairs

The change is one of those introduced by Prime Minister Peter Magyar as he seeks Hungary’s return to the EU.

Members of the Hungarian parliament have approved changes to the law limiting the term of the prime minister to eight years. This change prevents the former leader Viktor Orban from returning to power.

Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the amendment on Monday, despite opposition from Orban’s Fidesz party. 150 parliamentarians voted for the change, while 50 opposed it and six rejected it.

The change was a key campaign promise for the Prime Minister Photo by Peter Magyar Tisza party, which won a great success in April’s parliamentary elections, which ended 16 years of Orban’s rule.

The political reform is one of the major changes that Magyar has introduced as he seeks to improve Budapest’s relationship with the European Union.

In his first weeks in office, Hungary’s prime minister promised to lead the country to adopt the euro. Last week, he agreed to lift Hungary’s long-standing veto against Ukraine’s bid to join the EU. Kyiv started downloading the song on Monday.

Fortunately, Brussels will be happy to see Orban locked out of his return. His 16-year reign at the head of a pro-Russian and liberal regime led to many problems for the EU, especially his efforts to help Ukraine.

The vote, which implemented the majority of Tisza’s laws in the parliament, also opened the way for other reforms, including the abolition of the office of the security guard.

Created in 2023 to protect Hungary from “foreign influence,” the office was used to investigate journalists and NGOs who opposed Orban.

However, parliamentarians on Monday voted to cancel the law that was introduced, which stated the need for an independent agency to “protect” the “identity” of the country.

The closure of the office was included in a list of incidents reported by Human Rights Watch in April. It said Hungary’s new government should use it to reverse what it called a “human rights crisis” under Orban.

MPs are expected to vote on a bill to abolish the agency at the end of this month.

Orban was re-elected leader of the Fidesz party on Saturday, despite losing the election in April.

“Orban’s rule has been established. This was a very difficult issue… If I have to, I will be here,” Orban wrote mockingly on social media.