Hungary Elects András Baka as President as New Government Moves Beyond Orbán Era

KUAL A LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Hungary’s Parliament elected former Supreme Court chief justice András Baka as president on Tuesday, August 11, as Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government continues reshaping institutions established during former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s long period in power.

Baka, the governing Tisza party’s candidate, secured 140 votes, while six lawmakers voted against him and there were no abstentions. Orbán’s opposition Fidesz party boycotted the parliamentary vote.

The 74-year-old is expected to be sworn in on August 19. Hungary’s presidency is largely ceremonial, although the head of state has the authority to return legislation to Parliament or send bills to the Constitutional Court for review.

Following his election, Baka said Hungary needs to address political and social divisions that deepened during Orbán’s 16 years in power. While supporting investigations into alleged legal and financial abuses and efforts to restore democratic institutions, he warned that political change should not become an exercise in revenge.

Baka’s election comes as Magyar’s administration continues a broad institutional overhaul. Since taking office in May, the government has removed several Orbán-era appointees, suspended public television and radio news services, closed the Sovereignty Protection Office and introduced judicial reforms. It has also established an office to investigate alleged financial abuses from the previous administration and introduced term limits for lawmakers and prime ministers.

His appointment followed the removal of former President Tamás Sulyok, who had been nominated and confirmed under Orbán’s Fidesz government in 2024. After Sulyok refused calls to resign, the Tisza-controlled Parliament approved a constitutional amendment ending his term.

Baka also has a significant history with Orbán’s former government. He served as Hungary’s Supreme Court chief justice from 2009 until 2011, when his term was ended three years early. The European Court of Human Rights later ruled that his rights had been violated and linked his removal to his criticism of judicial reforms introduced by Orbán’s government.

The election of Baka represents another significant step in Hungary’s political transition following Orbán’s departure from government and Magyar’s rise to power. The institutional changes remain deeply contested, with Fidesz accusing the new administration of authoritarian tactics while Magyar’s government argues that its reforms are necessary to restore democratic standards and institutional independence.