Hungarian constitution has been changed. Orban won't be returning to power

This period corresponds to two prime ministerial terms. Implementing this change was one of the campaign promises made by Hungary’s incumbent Prime Minister, Peter Magyar. In practice, the new law will prevent Viktor Orbán from returning to office. Under the new legislation, future prime ministers will also be unable to hold power for as long a duration as Orbán, who served as head of government continuously for 16 years starting in 2010, and previously held the office from 1998 to 2002.

The constitutional amendments were approved with 135 deputies voting in favor, 50 against, and six abstaining. Amending the Hungarian constitution requires a two-thirds supermajority. The ruling Tisza party secured this majority by holding 141 out of 199 seats in parliament.

Peter Magyar tries to deliver on his promises. The previous Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, had plenty of time (and a majority in parliament) to change Hungarian law, allowing him to prolong his stay in power. Those policies placed Budapest on a crash course with Brussels, cutting Hungary off from European funds and setting the country’s economy back compared to other states in the region.