Hungary

• Péter Magyar and his Tisza party have achieved a landslide victory in Hungary, effectively dismantling the long-standing power structure of Viktor Orbán. • Magyar secured a two-thirds parliamentary supermajority, granting his government the authority to amend the constitution, change cardinal laws, and appoint top officials. • Unlike Poland's recent transition under Donald Tusk, which faced institutional gridlock, Hungary's new administration has a relatively free hand to implement judicial and systemic reforms.

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down immediately after signing a constitutional amendment that ends his term. • The legislation, backed by Viktor Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party, cites a "serious loss of confidence" in Sulyok, who was originally elected in early 2024. • Sulyok stated he felt compelled to sign the law to respect legal procedures, though he warned that the move undermines the rule of law in Hungary.

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down from his position after the national parliament backed his removal. • Sulyok, identified as a loyalist to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, faced a deadline of Saturday night to agree to end his term. • The move follows criticisms from figures like Baka, who argue that the Fidesz party has dismantled the rule of law since 2010 to create an authoritarian state.

• Hungarian President Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment that effectively ends his term, resolving a political dispute with the new government. • Sulyok criticized the move in a Facebook video, claiming the forced amendment proves that the rule of law and democratic power-sharing have been "trampled on" for political gain. • His presidency will officially conclude at midnight on Monday, at which point Parliament Speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer will assume his duties.

• Prime Minister Péter Magyar's administration has implemented sweeping constitutional changes aimed at dismantling the political legacy of the previous government. • Supporters argue these overhauls are essential for restoring the rule of law in Hungary, while critics warn that the methods used could establish troubling legal precedents. • The move highlights the tension between the need for systemic reform and the risk of creating new mechanisms for political instability.

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down from his position after the national parliament backed his removal. • Sulyok, widely regarded as a loyalist to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, confirmed his agreement to the law change following a Saturday night deadline. • Despite agreeing to leave, Sulyok issued a statement accusing the government of violating the rule of law during the process.

Tamás Sulyok signed the constitutional amendment that cited ‘serious loss of confidence’ in him as leader Hungary’s president Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down after signing a constitutional amendment passed by prime minister Péter Magyar’s ruling Tisza party.The amendment will end Sulyok’s term immediately, citing society’s “serious loss of confidence” in a leader elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party. Continue reading...

• The European Commission released a new report praising the Hungarian government for making significant progress on sweeping rule of law reforms. • Despite the progress, the EU warned that the election process for the prosecutor general and the prosecution service's structure still risk "undue political interference." • While the report rated Hungary's justice system as efficient, it noted a lack of structured measures regarding the ongoing salary increases for judges and prosecutors.

• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is demanding a refund of migration-related fines imposed by the European Union. • Orbán argues that the EU's position has shifted, noting that other member states are now adopting border policies similar to those of Hungary. • In addition to the fines, Hungary is seeking the return of €2 billion in lost recovery funds during an upcoming budget negotiation.

• The European Commission reported a "radical change" in the rule of law in Hungary following intense reform efforts by the new government led by Magyar. • A primary highlight of these reforms is Hungary's decision to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). • This move is considered a critical step in combating corruption and aligning Hungary's legal standards with European Union expectations.

• The European Commission is urging Spain and Hungary to implement stronger anti-corruption reforms to improve judicial and transparency safeguards. • According to an annual Rule of Law report seen by POLITICO, Spain has made only limited progress in updating asset declaration requirements and conflict-of-interest rules for senior officials. • These measures are critical for ensuring the integrity of public administration and upholding the EU's legal standards across member states.

• Hungarian MPs have voted for a constitutional amendment that allows them to remove the president from office, targeting an ally of former leader Viktor Orban. • The new rules introduce a 12-year or three-term limit for legislators, a move designed to block several prominent opposition figures from seeking re-election. • In an immediate reaction to the change, Fidesz legislator Gergely Gulyas resigned as party leader in parliament because he would be ineligible to run in 2030.

• Hungary’s Parliament voted to remove a loyalist of former right-wing leader Viktor Orban from the presidential post as part of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's "Operation Cleansing Fire." • Prime Minister Magyar pushed through rapid constitutional amendments to dismantle the former governing party's control over the judiciary, state-run media, and government agencies. • The move has drawn criticism from human rights groups and Fidesz allies, with the latter organizing street protests in defense of the ousted official, Mr. Sulyok.

• Hungary's Parliament voted 139 to 6 on Monday to pass a constitutional amendment removing President Tamas Sulyok from office. • The move is led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar and his pro-European Tisza party, who secured a two-thirds majority in April's landslide election. • This legislative action aims to dismantle the political system established by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban during his 16-year tenure and restore "rule-of-law democracy."

• The Hungarian parliament has voted to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office. • Sulyok was considered a loyalist to former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was ousted from power in April after a 16-year tenure. • Legal expert Baka argues that the Fidesz party systematically captured state institutions to create an authoritarian regime designed to persist beyond electoral losses.

• Hungary's flagship public news channel, M1, suspended its news programming on Tuesday after new leadership was appointed by the Tisza Party’s parliamentary supermajority. • The new management issued a formal apology for "years of political distortion" and lying, signaling a break from the previous media landscape. • This blackout is a central component of a broader government overhaul aimed at dismantling the public media system established during the Orbán era.

• Hungary's main state TV channel and Kossuth radio have halted news broadcasts following the landslide election victory of Péter Magyar. • Magyar, who broke away from Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party in March 2024, aims to dismantle what he describes as Orban-era propaganda and a media landscape controlled by political allies. • The move is part of a broader "regime change" strategy to ensure press freedom, with the state TV channel issuing a public apology for previously broadcasting lies.

• Hungary's state broadcaster went off-air on Tuesday after the new government, led by Péter Magyar, installed interim management. • The shutdown followed a purge of staff members accused of maintaining a pro-Orbán bias, with the screen displaying a public apology. • This move signals a drastic shift in the country's media landscape, aiming to eliminate political propaganda and ensure public media "cannot lie."

• Hungary’s state broadcaster, MTVA, ceased all broadcasts on Tuesday following the appointment of a temporary management team by Prime Minister Peter Magyar. • The network replaced its regular programming with a black screen featuring an apology for past disinformation and a pledge to create an independent public media system. • The move follows years of criticism from international organizations and opposition parties who accused MTVA of biased coverage under the previous Orban government.

• Hungarian public media outlets, including M1 TV and Kossuth radio, have suspended broadcasting following a political shake-up after the removal of Viktor Orbán. • Péter Magyar, who previously vowed to dismantle the "factory of lies," hailed the move as the end of state-sponsored propaganda broadcasts. • The action follows a campaign where state media heavily demonized Magyar, labeling him a traitor and a puppet of Brussels.

• Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s government has filed a constitutional amendment to remove President Tamas Sulyok from office. • The move aims to oust the president, who is allied with former nationalist leader Viktor Orban, to diminish Orban's remaining political influence. • The amendment is expected to pass easily due to the parliamentary supermajority secured by Magyar’s Tisza party during the April elections.

• Europe is experiencing a severe heatwave in 2026, with France recording its hottest day since 1947 and temperatures exceeding 40°C across Spain, Italy, and Germany. • Hungary and Slovakia have hit new temperature records, while schools in France, Belgium, and the UK have been forced to shut due to the extreme conditions. • The extreme weather poses a significant threat to the upcoming Tour de France and has already caused record-breaking heat across the UK.

• Widespread flight disruptions hit Europe today, resulting in 160 cancellations and 3,298 delays across multiple countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, England, Greece, and Germany. • Major airlines such as Iberia, KLM, Aegean, and Ryanair were affected, with significant chaos reported at key hubs like London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Madrid-Barajas. • The disruptions impacted a vast network of airports, including Athens, Zurich, Frankfurt, Rome Fiumicino, and Prague Václav Havel, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

• Hungary has approved a new legislative package designed to eliminate corrupt structures and reduce the influence of oligarchs. • A key component of the reforms involves returning universities to state control to ensure greater transparency and governance. • These legal changes are intended to satisfy European Union requirements, potentially unlocking billions in withheld EU funds.

• European Union leaders are convening for a summit in Brussels on Thursday, notably excluding Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for the first time in 16 years. • Orban's absence follows a bruising election loss, which many EU leaders viewed as a rebuke of his combative relationship with the bloc and his close ties to Russia. • Despite the defeat, Orban met with far-right allies in Brussels on Wednesday, asserting that his loss does not halt the "historical process" of rising patriotic and anti-migration movements across Europe.

• Fitch Ratings reaffirmed Hungary's BBB sovereign credit rating but maintained a negative outlook due to weak economic growth and deteriorating public finances. • The agency cited fiscal uncertainty and a larger-than-expected decline in fiscal indicators leading up to the April parliamentary elections as primary concerns. • This rating is significant as it highlights the challenges the new government faces in restoring budgetary stability and managing unpredictable fiscal policies.

• Hungary has officially decided to remain a State Party to the Rome Statute, withdrawing its previous notification to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC). • The decision was formally communicated by the Hungarian Government to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on May 29, 2026, following a statement from the Assembly of States Parties on May 25, 2026. • This move is significant as it signals Hungary's renewed commitment to ending impunity for the most serious international crimes.

• Hungarian MPs have voted to remain members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), overturning a previous decision to withdraw from the organization. • The reversal follows a landslide election victory last month for new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who vowed to undo the exit process before it took effect on June 2. • The original withdrawal was initiated in April last year by former leader Viktor Orbán, who labeled the ICC a "political court" while hosting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.