Orbán aims to become Hungary’s president with expanded powers, Bloomberg reports

According to a Bloomberg source, Orbán is considering taking the presidency and rewriting laws to make it the most powerful position in the country.

The 62-year-old Orbán raised the idea of a presidential system after meeting last month at the White House with his ally, US President Donald Trump, saying the plan was "always on the table."

Some polls show a double-digit lead for the opposition ahead of the April elections.

If Orbán’s party, Fidesz, wins, he could continue to control the country as president, delegating day-to-day government affairs to a trusted ally.

In the event of a loss, Orbán, as president, could limit the powers of opposition leader Péter Magyar of the Tisza party, who plans to improve relations with the EU after several years of confrontation with Brussels.

To implement this plan, Orbán would need to use Fidesz’s parliamentary supermajority before the April elections.

In Hungary, it is the parliament that votes on who becomes head of state. Current President Tamás Sulyok is set to leave office in 2029 when his term ends.

The outlet notes that on December 10, the Hungarian parliament, where Orbán’s party holds a majority, approved a bill making it more difficult for legislators to remove the president from office in the future.

Orbán’s statements

Recently, the Hungarian prime minister said that the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country will determine whether Budapest will confront Russia.

Earlier, Orbán stated that ending the war in Ukraine is only possible by returning Ukraine to the status of a "buffer zone."

Today, the Hungarian prime minister praised the US national security strategy, calling it "the most important and interesting document in recent years."