András Baka elected new President of Hungary

On Tuesday, the Hungarian Parliament elected András Baka as the new president in a secret ballot. Baka received 140 votes, while six lawmakers voted against him. The election was organized by the ruling party TISZA, which holds a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

András Baka, a former high court judge, was nominated by the ruling party TISZA. He is known as a critic of the previous government under Viktor Orbán. The opposition, represented by the right-wing Fidesz party, deemed the election illegitimate and expressed concerns over the political circumstances.

During his inaugural speech in the parliamentary session, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar addressed the current challenges facing the country, including water scarcity and the critical energy situation.

Magyar urged parliamentarians to be aware of their responsibility for the country’s difficult situation. He criticized former high-ranking officials, including Tamas Sulyok, and reflected on their views regarding climate change.

Baka’s election as president comes at a time when Hungary faces significant social and economic challenges. The country is grappling with the impacts of the energy crisis and various political tensions.

Baka will be the first person elected to the highest office of state since Orbán, which could potentially lead to a realignment of Hungarian politics. It remains to be seen how his presidency will affect the political debate in the country.