President of Hungary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Hungary
Standard of the president
Coat of arms of the president
Incumbent Tamás Sulyok since 5 March 2024
Residence	Sándor Palace Budapest, Hungary
Appointer	National Assembly
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Precursor	Regent of Hungary (1st) Presidential Council of Hungary (2nd)
Formation	11 January 1919 (1st) 1 February 1946 (2nd) 23 October 1989 (current)
First holder	Mihály Károlyi (1919) Zoltán Tildy (1946) Mátyás Szűrös (1989)
Abolished	29 February 1920 (1st) 20 August 1949 (2nd)
Deputy	Speaker of the National Assembly
Salary	3,909,710 Ft monthly

The President of Hungary, also called the President of the Republic, is the head of state of Hungary. This means they are the highest representative of the country. The president's job is mostly about showing the unity of the nation and making sure that government institutions work democratically.

While the president has an important role, it is largely ceremonial. This means they represent Hungary at home and abroad, but they don't usually lead the government day-to-day. Most of the power to choose government ministers and start new laws belongs to the Prime Minister.

However, the president does have some special powers. They can veto (say "no" to) new laws. They can also ask the Constitutional Court to check if a law follows the country's main rules.

The current president is Tamás Sulyok. He was elected on February 26, 2024. He took over after the previous president, Katalin Novák, resigned in February 2024 after a controversy.

How Hungary's President is Elected

The Constitution explains how the president is chosen. The National Assembly (which is like Hungary's parliament) elects the president.

Who Can Be President?

To become president, a person must be a Hungarian citizen and at least 35 years old.

How Long is a President's Term?

A president serves for five years. They can be elected for a maximum of two terms. This means they can be president for up to ten years in total.

The Election Process

The election for president happens between 30 and 60 days before the current president's term ends. If the president's office becomes empty for any reason, a new election must be held within 30 days.

To become a candidate, a person needs to be suggested in writing by at least one-fifth of the members of the National Assembly. Each member can only suggest one candidate.

The election uses a secret ballot. In the first round, if a candidate gets more than two-thirds of all the votes from the National Assembly members, they win. If no one gets enough votes, a second round is held. Only the top two candidates from the first round can be in the second round. The person who gets the most votes in the second round becomes president. If the second round doesn't work, a new election process starts.

Taking the Oath

Once elected, the president must take an oath in front of the National Assembly. This is a promise to be loyal to Hungary and its laws.

The oath says:

I [name of the person], swear to be faithful to Hungary and its Basic Law, to respect and enforce its legislation by others; I shall exercise my function as the president of the Republic for the good of the Hungarian nation. [And, according to the conviction of the one who takes the oath] May God help me so!

What the President Does

The president has several important duties:

• They are the Commander-in-Chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces, which means they are in charge of the military.
• They represent Hungary to other countries around the world.
• They can attend meetings of the National Assembly and speak there.
• They can suggest new laws or ask for a national vote (a referendum) on important issues.
• They set the date for elections.
• They are involved in decisions about special situations, like a state of war or emergency.
• They call the National Assembly together after elections and can even dissolve it (end its session).
• They can ask the Constitutional Court to check if a law is fair.

The president also suggests important people for key roles, like the Prime Minister, judges, and the head of the National Bank. With the government's agreement, they appoint ministers, university professors, generals, and ambassadors. They also give out awards and titles. The president can refuse to make these appointments if something is not right or if it would cause problems for the country's democratic system.

The president can also grant pardons (forgive someone for a crime) and decide matters about citizenship, but only with the government's agreement.

President's Protection and Removal

The president is considered "inviolable," which means they cannot be charged with a crime while they are in office. Any criminal cases against them can only happen after their term ends.

However, a president can be removed from office. This happens if they intentionally break the country's main laws or commit a serious offense. At least one-fifth of the National Assembly members must suggest removing the president.

If two-thirds of the National Assembly members agree by secret ballot, the case goes to the Constitutional Court. The court then decides if the president should be removed. If the court finds the president responsible, they are removed from their position.

When a President's Term Ends

A president's term can end in several ways:

• When their five-year term is finished.
• If the president passes away while in office.
• If they become unable to do their job for more than 90 days.
• If they no longer meet the requirements to be president.
• If they resign.
• If they are removed from office.

If the president is temporarily unable to do their job, the Speaker of the National Assembly takes over their duties.

President's Role in Making Laws

The president plays a part in the law-making process, especially by checking laws and sometimes sending them back for review. The table below shows how often past presidents have used their powers to influence laws.

• Self-proposed laws: These are laws that the president suggested themselves.
• Political vetoes: This is when the president sends a law back to the National Assembly because they disagree with it for political reasons.
• Constitutional vetoes: This is when the president asks the Constitutional Court to check if a law follows the Constitution.

As you can see, some presidents, like László Sólyom, used their veto power quite often, while others, like Pál Schmitt, did not.

Latest Presidential Election (2024)

The most recent election for president happened in 2024. Here are the results:

Tamás Sulyok was elected president with 134 votes.

See also

• List of heads of state of Hungary