Hungarian PM Magyar nominates chess grandmaster Judit Polgar for presidency
Following a parliamentary amendment that ousted President Tamas Sulyok, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has proposed Judit Polgar, widely regarded as the greatest female chess player in history, to fill the vacant head-of-state role.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has formally proposed former chess grandmaster Judit Polgar as the candidate for the country’s next president. The nomination follows a constitutional amendment passed by lawmakers last week, which removed incumbent President Tamas Sulyok from office. Magyar is scheduled to meet with Polgar on Monday to ascertain if she is willing to accept the position.
The proposal marks a significant shift in the composition of Hungary’s head of state. Sulyok, identified as an ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was removed after Magyar accused him of acting as a "puppet" of the previous administration. Magyar, who secured a landslide victory in April on a platform of "regime change" ending Orban’s 16-year tenure, stated in a Facebook post that the nation requires "unity, peace and a president of whom all Hungarians can be proud."
Polgar, who is set to turn 50, is widely recognised as the greatest woman chess player of all time. She held the top ranking for women for 25 years before retiring in 2014 and remains the only woman to have crossed the 2700-rating threshold, a distinction often associated with "Super GM" status. Her political debut would contrast sharply with her sporting legacy, which includes leading Hungary’s women’s team to victory at the 1988 Chess Olympiad, thereby ending Soviet dominance in the event.
The constitutional change has drawn scrutiny from international observers. Human Rights Watch criticised the amendment, describing the procedural tinkering as "reminiscent of (the) Fidesz era," a reference to Orban’s party. The criticism underscores the tension surrounding Magyar’s consolidation of power and his efforts to purge officials associated with the previous government.
In the interim period, Agnes Forsthoffer, the speaker of parliament, will assume the duties of head of state. Parliamentary procedure requires the election of a new president within 30 days, a window that begins as Sulyok’s term concludes. The outcome of Magyar’s proposal will determine whether Hungary’s presidency transitions to a figure with no prior political experience or remains within the sphere of established governance.
