Hungarian government spokesman denies report Orban plans to introduce presidential system

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

BUDAPEST, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Hungary’s government spokesman denied a media report on Thursday that Prime Minister Viktor Orban was about to introduce a “presidential system”.

He made his comment on X after Bloomberg reported that nationalist Orban, who faces an election that is likely to be held in April 2026, was exploring this option.

Citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation, the Bloomberg report said Orban was considering how to keep his grip on Hungary regardless of the outcome of the election, and mulling the idea of assuming the presidency and rewriting laws to make it Hungary’s most powerful office.

Since 1990, Hungary has been a parliamentary democracy and the role of the president is largely ceremonial.

Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs denied there was a plan to change the system.

“Let’s be clear: Floating this idea over and over again is nothing more than the usual leftist fake-news routine,” Kovacs said on X.

Orban has been in power since 2010. With the economy stagnating for three years, he faces a tough election battle against opposition challenger Peter Magyar and his centre-right Tisza party, which lead most polls over Orban’s Fidesz.

To introduce a presidential system, Hungary’s constitution would have to be modified. This is possible only with a two-thirds majority in parliament, a majority Orban holds now.

In an interview with private channel ATV last month, Orban said he had considered the option of switching to a presidential system every time his party had won elections since 2010, and always decided against it.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves; Editing by Sharon Singleton)