President Tamas Sulyok of Hungary has signed the 16th amendment to the country’s constitution, which limits the prime minister’s tenure to just two four-year terms. The law has retroactive effect and deprives former Prime Minister Viktor Orban of the opportunity to hold the PM’s post again.

The president’s office reported that the amendment was adopted in compliance with all constitutional procedures, so there are no grounds for returning it to parliament or referring it to the Constitutional Court.

Under the new rules, a person who has held the post of Prime Minister of Hungary for a total of eight or more years, even if the terms of office were interrupted, cannot be elected prime minister again. Moreover, this restriction does not apply to the current term of office of the serving prime minister, but only applies to future appointments.

The amendment applies to all prime ministers since 1990, including Viktor Orban, who led the Hungarian government from 1998 to 2002 and then from 2010 to 2026.

Supporters of the amendment declare that it is necessary to ensure the transfer of power and protect democratic principles. But the Fidesz party, led by Viktor Orban, considers this law politically motivated and directed against Orban himself, calling it "anti-democratic" and contrary to the principle of equality before the law.