Hungary’s Magyar wants chess champion to become president
Judit Polgar and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Photo: facebook.com/JuditPolgarChess)
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has proposed chess champion Judit Polgar as a candidate for the country's next president. A vote on her candidacy could take place within a month, according to Bloomberg.
After Tamas Sulyok was removed from office, Magyar wrote on social media that the country needs a new head of state whom every Hungarian could be proud of.
He announced that on Monday, July 20, he would meet with Polgar to ask whether she is ready to assume the position until Hungary adopts a new constitution. Magyar emphasized that she is the person best positioned to represent the interests of all Hungarians and promote unity and peace.
"The presidency is not a profession or a job, but the highest form of public service. The acclaim she enjoys stems not from political affiliations or connections, but from her exceptional talent, diligence, unparalleled capacity for hard work, and integrity," the prime minister said.
The parliament, in which Magyar's Tisza party holds a majority, is expected to elect a new president by August 20, which is a national holiday in Hungary.
Polgár has not publicly responded to the proposal yet. It is worth noting that 49-year-old Judit Polgar is recognized as the most outstanding female chess player, having topped the world women's ranking for 26 consecutive years, and at the age of 15, she became the youngest grandmaster in history.
She starred in the Netflix documentary "Queen of Chess," which tells the story of a girl who dreams of conquering the world of international chess, dominated by men.
What preceded this
On Saturday, Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok signed a law amending the constitution, which transforms the term of his authority.
This step effectively fulfilled one of Magyar's main promises – to remove high-ranking officials appointed during the 16-year rule of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from office.
