Hungary Passes Eight-Year Prime Minister Limit To Prevent Orban Return

Hungary’s parliament has approved a major constitutional amendment that restricts prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office. The move is widely viewed as a decisive step by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s administration to permanently prevent the return of former leader Viktor Orban, who held power for 16 years.

Passed on Monday with 150 votes in favor, the amendment follows a landslide victory by the Tisza party in April’s elections. Prime Minister Magyar has prioritized state reforms as part of a broader effort to repair Budapest’s strained relationship with the European Union. In tandem with the term limits, lawmakers are moving to dismantle the Sovereignty Protection Office, an agency previously used to scrutinize journalists and NGOs critical of the state.

While Orban remains the leader of the Fidesz party, the new legislation effectively bars his path back to the premiership. This constitutional shift signals a departure from the previous government's illiberal policies, aligning Hungary more closely with EU democratic standards. Observers expect the dissolution of the controversial Sovereignty Protection Office to be finalized by the end of the month, further consolidating the current government's pivot toward the EU mainstream.