Election of András Baka as President of Hungary
The Hungarian parliament elected 73-year-old legal expert András Baka as the new president of the country during an extraordinary session on August 11. His candidacy was supported by 140 deputies, with only 6 votes against and no abstentions. Baka, who previously headed the Supreme Court and served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights, will officially take office on August 19. His candidacy was proposed by the 'Tisza' party.
Experience and Criticism of András Baka
András Baka specializes in human rights and minority rights. He served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights from 1991 to 2008, and in 2009 he was elected head of the Supreme Court of Hungary. However, he was removed from office early in 2011 following criticism of the government's plans for judicial reform under Viktor Orbán. In 2016, the European Court of Human Rights deemed Baka's removal illegal, and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe criticized Hungary for failing to comply with the ruling in the case of 'Baka v. Hungary'.
The publication Telex reports on the election of the new president. The 'Fidesz' party and the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) did not participate in the vote. The opposition expressed criticism of Baka for his decisions in cases related to events in 1956 and 2006. Specifically, representatives of the KDNP claimed that Baka allegedly justified one of the accused in the cases concerning the shootings of 1956, while László Toroczkai accused him of refusing to provide compensation to victims of political terror in 2006.
Before the new president was elected, the responsibilities of the head of state were temporarily performed by the speaker of parliament, Agnès Forsthoffer. The previous president, Tamás Shuyok, initially refused to leave office, but the parliamentary majority made changes to the Constitution that allowed his powers to be terminated. The leadership of the 'Tisza' party held consultations with ten candidates and then presented three contenders to the faction. Chess player Judith Polgar declined the proposal to run, stating that she 'does not feel strong enough to take on the historical responsibility of uniting a divided nation.'
It should be noted that Hungary also agreed to send an official letter to Ukraine and Moldova regarding the opening of the sixth cluster of negotiations for EU accession. Additionally, Ukraine and Hungary signed an agreement on the educational, cultural, linguistic, and political rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, as reported by Hungary's Prime Minister Péter Madjar.
The election of András Baka as president of Hungary is an important step in the context of the stability of the political situation in the country, considering his experience in the field of human rights and justice. His previous activities, particularly at the European Court of Human Rights, may influence Hungary's international image, especially in light of criticism regarding judicial reform in the country. At the same time, continued dialogue with Ukraine and Moldova regarding EU accession may indicate Hungary's desire to support regional stability and cooperation.