Change of power in Hungary

Hungary votes to remove Orbán-loyal president

Hungary's parliament is voting to remove Orbán-loyal president Tamás Sulyok, AFP reports.

MPs from Prime Minister Péter Magyar's Tisza party celebrated the result of the vote with a 30-second standing ovation.

The constitutional amendment that would allow Sulyok to be removed won by 139 votes to six. Orbán's Fidesz party boycotted the proposal.

The president now has five days to accept the result of the vote. Otherwise, according to Magyar, parliament could launch impeachment proceedings against him.

Change of power in Hungary — that's the point

• Péter Magyar and his Tisza party won a landslide victory in Hungary's April 12 elections, gaining a supermajority with 138 out of 199 seats in parliament.
• Viktor Orbán conceded defeat after 16 years in power when his Fidesz party won 52 seats.
• Magyar has demanded the president's resignation and has proposed limiting the prime minister's term to eight years.
• The EU has released over 100 billion kronor in previously frozen funds to Hungary following Magyar's election victory and promises of rule of law reforms.
• Magyar's government has, among other things, changed the tone of the previously Fidesz-loyal media coverage and lifted bans on Ukrainian media.