Hungary’s Governing Party Nominates Orban Critic as Next President
Hungary’s governing Tisza party has nominated Andras Baka, a former Supreme Court chief who was removed from his post by Viktor Orban’s government in 2012, as its candidate for the country’s presidency.
Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced the nomination Saturday, with Hungary’s parliament expected to formally elect Baka, 73, on Tuesday. Since Tisza holds a constitutional two-thirds majority following its landslide election win in April, which ended Orban’s 16-year rule, Baka’s election is widely considered a formality.
A judge once punished for criticizing Orban
Baka served two terms as a judge on the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg before being elected head of Hungary’s Supreme Court in 2009. He was removed from that post in 2011, after publicly criticizing judicial reforms introduced by Orban’s government, reforms he argued threatened judicial independence.
Baka later brought a case against the Hungarian state to the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled that his dismissal had violated his rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression, a judgment the Council of Europe said Hungary never fully implemented.
Replacing a president removed by constitutional amendment
Baka would succeed Tamas Sulyok, whom Tisza removed from the presidency in July through a constitutional amendment. Magyar had repeatedly described Sulyok, a figure with limited public profile before his appointment, as a “puppet” of the Orban government.
In its official nomination statement, the Tisza faction praised Baka for consistently placing high value on the separation of powers and for his steady commitment to the rule of law and judicial independence, framing his professional independence as a valuable strength given the constitutional changes Tisza has planned.
A boycott from the opposition
Fidesz, now in opposition after its April defeat, announced it will boycott Tuesday’s vote and will not field a rival candidate, accusing Tisza of authoritarian tactics, an allegation Tisza denies. It remains unclear whether Baka will face any opposing candidate at all when parliament votes.
Part of a broader institutional overhaul
The nomination follows Tisza’s broader effort to reshape senior state institutions previously filled under Fidesz. Magyar had signaled before April’s election that, if his party secured a constitution-making majority, it would replace most senior public officials appointed under Orban, with the stated exception of central bank governor Mihaly Varga, arguing that many of those officials had prioritized loyalty to Fidesz over their constitutional duties.
The presidency was not Tisza’s first choice for the role: Magyar had initially nominated Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgar for the position, but she declined the nomination before Baka was selected from a shortlist of three names following interviews with ten candidates.
Why it matters beyond Hungary
The presidency in Hungary carries largely ceremonial powers, but the office still plays a role in signing legislation and represents the country’s head of state internationally. Baka’s nomination is widely read as a signal of Tisza’s intent to install figures seen as independent of Orban-era influence across formerly Fidesz-aligned institutions, a process likely to continue shaping Hungary’s political landscape, and its relationship with Brussels and neighboring EU states including Austria, in the months ahead.
