Orbán prepares for difficult elections by changing the constitution (once again)
17 March 2025
Hungary's ruling Fidesz party is about to change the constitution it created in 2012 – for the 15th time. Jurists and government critics are sounding the alarm as the proposed amendments target the LGBTQ+ community, activists, and NGOs. The government seemingly also introduces certain elements in preparation for a potential election loss in 2026, as new opposition leader Péter Magyar's party is still almost 10% ahead of Fidesz in the polls.
Firstly, one of the amendments puts the protection of children's physical, mental and moral development over all other rights. This passage would pave the way for banning the Pride march, because, according to the government, LGBTQ+ representation harms children and their development, therefore their rights supersede the freedom of assembly. The new version of the constitution will also make it legally impossible to change one's sex assigned at birth.
Another amendment stipulates that Hungarian nationals with dual citizenship can be expelled if their actions endanger Hungary's national sovereignty, public order, territorial integrity, or security. The suspension of Hungarian citizenship is a completely new concept in the judicial system, and it was made clear that it would be used against NGOs and journalists seen by the government as representatives of foreign interests.
Last but not least, how the state of emergency works (currently declared because of the war in Ukraine) will also change. As of now, it allows the government to suspend laws or derogate from statutory provisions bypassing the normal legislative process. In the future, it will be able to do so only with the approval of a two-thirds majority: this would severely limit Péter Magyar to rewrite Fidesz's laws of the past 15 years by emergency government should he win the 2026 elections.
 | Fruzsina Szikszai Many experts deem the amendments blatantly unconstitutional and absurd, but sadly, this is neither the first time and probably won't be the last that the ruling party uses the country's most sacred legal document for political purposes. With the 2026 elections approaching, Fidesz is making moves to gain back some voters from Magyar's Tisza party, but it's also preparing for an eventual loss, cementing its political ideology in the constitution and limiting the next government's space for action. |
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