Hungarian parliament removes President Tamás Sulyok – Thinking Process: 1. **Analyze the Request:** * **Role:** Professional editor rewriting articles. * **Task:** Rewrite the provided article into a new, unique version with proper HTML formatting. * **Source URL:** http://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/07/13/hungarian-parliament-removes-president-tamas-sulyok-from-office * **Original Title:** Hungarian parliament removes President Tamás Sulyok from office * **Source Language:** English (must be preserved). * **Formatting:** Clean HTML using `
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`. * Minimum length: 600 words (mandatory). If source is under 600, expand naturally. * Output ONLY the rewritten HTML. 2. **Analyze the Source Text:** * **Key Facts:** * Date: July 13 (vote day), 2026 (from URL). * Event: Hungarian Parliament adopted the 17th constitutional amendment. * Vote Count: 139 in favor, 6 against, 54 abstained. * Outcome: Removes President Tamás Sulyok. * Mechanism: Sulyok’s mandate ends the day after the amendment enters into force. Parliament elects a head of state until the new constitution takes effect (max 5 years). * PM Péter Magyar’s Speech: Criticized the Fidesz-drafted constitution (“Hungarian Cosa Nostra”), mentioned Orbán’s subordination of everything to one man, recalled Péter Polt’s lack of action regarding MNB funds, defined constitutional tasks. * Sulyok’s Silence: Cited as a reason for removal, specifically regarding Tisza Party IT experts and secret service surveillance. * Fidesz/KDNP Reaction: Miklós Panyi announced they wouldn’t participate in “dismantling democracy.” They stayed away from the vote. * Gergely Gulyás (Fidesz leader): Resigned as head of parliamentary group because the opposition lacks a leader in public-law terms. Called the removal “unprecedented” and “violent approach.” * Demonstration: Fidesz held ‘Stop arbitrary rule!’ demo outside Sándor Palace. * Sulyok’s Deadline: 5 days to sign the amendment. If not, Parliament initiates removal proceedings. Speaker can sign instead. * Sulyok’s Actions: Voiced concerns to Constitutional Court and Venice Commission. * Amendment Details (Márta Görög): 12-year/3-term limit for MPs, termination of current president’s mandate, 70-year age limit for constitutional judges, judges’ initiative power. * **Word Count Check:** The source text looks to be around 500-600 words. I need to ensure I expand slightly to meet the 600-word minimum safely without adding false info. I will elaborate on the implications mentioned in the text (e.g., the transition period, the specific criticisms). 3. **Drafting Strategy:** * **Structure:** * H2: Main Title (Rewritten). * H3: Section on the Vote and Amendment. * P: Details of the vote and immediate consequences. * H3: Section on PM Magyar’s Critique. * P: Summary of Magyar’s speech. * Blockquote: Key quote from Magyar. * H3: Section on Sulyok’s Role and Silence. * P: Reasons for removal based on silence. * H3: Section on Fidesz/KDNP Opposition. * P: Their absence and Gulyás’s resignation. * Blockquote: Quote from Gulyás. * H3: Section on Future Steps and Amendment Details. * P: Sulyok’s deadline, Görög’s draft details. * **Expansion:** I will add transitional sentences explaining the context of the “new constitution” and the significance of the “Cosa Nostra” comparison to ensure length. I will also break down the list of constitutional tasks more descriptively. * **Constraint Check:** Avoid 8+ consecutive words from the original. Rephrase quotes where possible but keep the essence, or use blockquotes for exact quotes (the prompt says “Preserve direct quotes using
“, implying I should keep the exact wording for quotes). Wait, the rule says “Do NOT copy sentences verbatim; avoid long phrases (no 8+ consecutive words)”. This usually applies to the narrative text. For quotes, I should use them as is within the blockquote tags. However, to be safe, I will ensure the surrounding text doesn’t mirror the source too closely. * **HTML Tags:** `
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`. 4. **Drafting – Step-by-Step:** * *Title:* Hungarian Legislature Ousts President Tamás Sulyok via Constitutional Change * *Intro:* The Hungarian National Assembly has finalized a significant constitutional shift. By passing the seventeenth amendment to the nation’s fundamental law, lawmakers have paved the way for the dismissal of the sitting president, Tamás Sulyok. * *Vote Details:* The legislative body cast its ballots with a decisive majority. A total of 139 deputies voted in support of the measure, while only six opposed it. Meanwhile, 54 members of parliament chose to remain absent from the proceedings. This specific constitutional change targets the current head of state directly but also sets a legal framework that could facilitate similar dismissals down the line. Once the amendment officially becomes law, Sulyok’s term concludes immediately. Following this, the legislature will choose an interim leader to hold office until the revised constitution is fully implemented, a period capped at five years. * *PM Speech:* Before the formal voting began, Prime Minister Péter Magyar addressed the assembly. He argued that failing to modify the constitution drafted by Fidesz would constitute a betrayal of the Hungarian people. He characterized the existing document as the cornerstone of what he termed the “Hungarian Cosa Nostra,” created jointly by Fidesz and KDNP. Magyar contended that under previous Orbán administrations, all state functions had been bent to serve a single individual’s political longevity. * *Quote 1:*
“The constitutional task is to protect the country from external threats, Hungarian people from arbitrary power, common property from looting, the freedom of elections from interference by the state and the secret services, children entrusted to the care of the state from their abusers, and state institutions from being used by a party that has lost an election to preserve its own power,” the prime minister said.
* *Sulyok’s Silence:* To support the case for ousting Sulyok, Magyar highlighted several instances where the president remained quiet. One notable example involved the initiation of police actions and secret service monitoring against IT specialists belonging to the Tisza Party, which were allegedly based on false accusations. Magyar asserted that Sulyok needed to uphold constitutional principles when the core idea that secret services serve the state rather than the ruling party was threatened. * *Fidesz Reaction:* During the previous week’s general discussion on the amendment, Fidesz representative Miklós Panyi declared that his party and KDNP would refuse to join in what he called the “dismantling of democracy.” Consequently, they planned to skip both the detailed deliberations and the final vote. On July 13, the day of the decision, these opposition members indeed remained outside the chamber. Additionally, President Sulyok himself did not attend the session. * *Gulyás Resignation:* Ahead of the vote, Gergely Gulyás, who leads the Fidesz parliamentary faction, held a press briefing. He stated that Hungary now faces a political landscape where at least half of the lawmakers are barred from meaningful competition. Gulyás emphasized that the opposition cannot function effectively without a recognized leader in public law. Therefore, he announced his resignation from his position as the group’s head. * *Quote 2:*
“The removal of the head of state, the violent approach we have experienced in recent times, is unprecedented. […]The largest opposition group cannot have a leader who, in public-law terms, cannot in fact be its leader, and therefore I am resigning as head of the parliamentary group,” Gulyás announced.
* *Demonstration & Deadline:* Earlier in the week, Fidesz supporters gathered outside the Sándor Palace, the official residence of the president, under the banner “Stop arbitrary rule!” President Sulyok now has a five-day window to formally sign the constitutional amendment. Should he decline to do so, the parliament will begin procedures to remove him by force. According to constitutional rules, if the president is removed, he loses his authority, allowing the Speaker of Parliament to sign the legislation on his behalf. * *Sulyok’s Defense & Amendment Content:* Sulyok has previously raised constitutional objections to these moves, appealing to both the Venice Commission and the Constitutional Court for guidance. The amendment, prepared by Justice Minister Márta Görög, seeks to establish stable institutional conditions for the state until the new constitution is active. It also aims to rebuild constitutional democracy. Key provisions include a twelve-year limit for parliamentary terms, the immediate end of the current president’s term, a seventy-year age cap for constitutional judges, and enhanced powers for judges to initiate legal actions. 5. **Review and Refine:** * *Word Count Check:* Let’s estimate. * Intro: ~60 words. * Vote: ~100 words. * PM Speech: ~100 words. * Quote 1: ~80 words. * Sulyok Silence: ~100 words. * Fidesz Reaction: ~100 words. * Gulyás: ~100 words. * Quote 2: ~80 words. * Demo/Deadline: ~100 words. * Sulyok/Amendment: ~100 words. * Total: ~920 words. This is well over 600. * *Constraint Check:* * No 8+ consecutive words copied? I need to check the quotes. The quotes are preserved exactly as requested (“Preserve direct quotes using
“). The rule “Do NOT copy sentences verbatim” usually applies to the narrative. I will ensure the narrative text is distinct. * HTML tags correct? Yes. * Language English? Yes. * Facts accurate? Yes (139 vs 6, 54 abstained, 17th amendment, dates, names). * Structure changed? Yes, grouped by theme rather than strict chronological order of the source. 6. **Final Polish:** Ensure smooth transitions and proper HTML syntax. Make sure the quotes are wrapped correctly. *Self-Correction during drafting:* I need to make sure I don’t accidentally copy a long phrase from the source in the narrative. For example, “Hungarian Cosa Nostra” is a short phrase. “Fidesz-drafted constitution” is fine. I will paraphrase “built by Fidesz–KDNP” to “created jointly by Fidesz and KDNP”. I will paraphrase “subordinated to one man’s will” to “bent to serve a single individual’s political longevity”. *Checking the “8+ consecutive words” rule:* This is strict. Even in the narrative, I must avoid copying chunks. Source: “Parliament has adopted the 17th amendment to the constitution with 139 votes in favour and 6 against” My draft: “The Hungarian National Assembly has finalized a significant constitutional shift. By passing the seventeenth amendment to the nation’s fundamental law, lawmakers have paved the way for the dismissal of the sitting president, Tamás Sulyok.” -> Safe. Source: “54 MPs did not take part in the vote.” My draft: “Meanwhile, 54 members of parliament chose to remain absent from the proceedings.” -> Safe. Source: “On the day after the amendment enters into force, Sulyok’s mandate will end” My draft: “Once the amendment officially becomes law, Sulyok’s term concludes immediately.” -> Safe. *Checking Quote Preservation:* The prompt says “Preserve direct quotes using
“. It also says “Do NOT copy sentences verbatim”. This can be contradictory if interpreted strictly. Usually, it means don’t copy the *narrative* sentences verbatim. Quotes should be kept as is. I will keep the quotes exactly as they appear in the source text within the blockquotes to be safe on the “direct quotes” instruction, while ensuring the surrounding text is rewritten. *Wait, one more check on the quote:* “The constitutional task is to protect the country from external threats, Hungarian people from arbitrary power, common property from looting, the freedom of elections from interference by the state and the secret services, children entrusted to the care of the state from their abusers, and state institutions from being used by a party that has lost an election to preserve its own power,” the prime
