Gergely Gulyás, leader of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party parliamentary faction, announced his resignation from his position on Monday afternoon during an extraordinary press conference held at 1 p.m., marking yet another politician removed from the political opposition due to a new constitutional amendment.
Speaking at the press conference, Gulyás described the wider political consequences. “From now on, there is a political competition in Hungary where at least half of the representatives are excluded from the political competition,” he said. He added: “The replacement of the state president, the violent attitude that we experienced in the past period, is unprecedented.”
The amendment includes term limits for members of parliament. It effectively bars lawmakers with 12 or more years of service from future elections. Gulyás has been an MP since 2010, meaning he exceeds this threshold and would be restricted. In fact, many Fidesz politicians are conveniently hit by this new law as the party has been in power for 16 years. In particular, the new amendment has made Orbán ineligible to run for prime minister in any future election.
Gulyás explained the move by stressing that the representative group of the largest opposition party must be led by someone whose chances of winning an election are not limited.
Fidesz released a statement providing further context for the decision.
“This is the day of mourning for Hungarian democracy and the rule of law,” the party wrote.
Gulyás also outlined his expectations for the faction’s future leadership.
“I will ask that the Fidesz faction be led in parliamentary work by someone who has the opportunity to run in the elections after 2030,” he emphasized.
The developments mark a significant shift for Fidesz as Hungary’s largest opposition party navigates the restrictions imposed by the recent constitutional amendment which limits politicians to only two terms.
