Hungary's parliament passes constitutional changes limiting prime-minister terms and abolishing the Sovereignty Protection Office

Hungary's parliament passed a constitutional amendment on June 15 limiting prime ministerial terms to eight years, Al Jazeera reported. Lawmakers also voted to scrap the provision that established the Sovereignty Protection Office, created in 2023. " The Tisza Party government holds a constitutional majority and used it to advance the changes.

Magyar proposed a separate amendment for the removal of President Tamas Sulyok, who was appointed by Orban. If removed, a new president would serve a maximum term of five years. Additional amendments set an age limit of 70 for judges on the Constitutional Court, which would force head judge Peter Polt to retire, and limited lawmakers' terms to 12 years.

A constitutional review with public discussions is scheduled to begin in September and will face a referendum. Magyar said corruption has cost Hungarians 8 to 10 percent of gross domestic product in recent years. He stated that "the best police officers, the best investigators and the best experts will work for this agency," referring to a planned new anti-corruption office.

Hungary is seeking to unlock 16.4 billion euros in EU funds by the end of August. Human Rights Watch recommended closing the Sovereignty Protection Office in April and moving quickly on rule-of-law milestones including judicial independence.