Narrative thread · 1 event
Hungary's power shift
Where things stand
Peter Magyar's governing camp has nominated Andras Baka, removed as Supreme Court president in 2012 after calling Viktor Orban's judicial changes a disguised purge, for head of state. Fidesz and the KDNP say they will stay away from the parliamentary vote.
Hungary's head of state is chosen by parliament, not by voters. Viktor Orban's Fidesz and the KDNP, long the governing parties, now face a majority led by Peter Magyar, and the judiciary is one of the arenas where the two camps clash, going back to Orban's court overhaul in 2012.
Timeline in detail
Sunday, 9 August 2026 · GeopoliticsHungary's governing camp nominates Orban's judicial adversary for president
Andras Baka, removed as Supreme Court president in 2012 after denouncing Viktor Orban's judicial changes as a disguised purge, has accepted the nomination of Peter Magyar's governing camp for head of state. Fidesz and the KDNP say they will not take part in the parliamentary vote.