Hungary's parliament elects Orban critic as new president
Hungary's parliament has overwhelmingly confirmed Andras Baka, formerly the head of the Supreme Court, to the largely ceremonial role of president. New Prime Minister Peter Magyar controversially removed his predecessor.
Hungary's parliament elected Andras Baka, a former Supreme Court chief, as the country's new president on Tuesday. This move is part of Prime Minister Peter Magyar's campaign to overturn the legacy of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban after his party's victory in April's general elections. Baka, 73, was once a critic of Orban, having been removed from his Supreme Court position by the former PM.
He will replace Tamas Sulyok, an Orban appointee whose term was shortened to remove him from the largely symbolic role. The vote was largely a formality, as Magyar's conservative, pro-European TISZA party holds a substantial majority in parliament. The right-wing populist Fidesz party, which boycotted the vote, was aware that it would have no impact on Baka's appointment.
Baka, a jurist and politician, served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights before returning to Hungary in 2009 to become Supreme Court president. Magyar praised Baka's commitment to democratic rule of law and constitutional principles, while some rights watchdogs in Hungary saw the move as reminiscent of Orban-era illiberal practices.
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