Who is Andras Baka? Viktor Orban critic chosen as Hungary's new president

Hungarian lawmakers on Tuesday elected former Supreme Court chief Andras Baka, a prominent critic of Viktor Orban who was removed from office during the former prime minister's rule, as the country's next president. Baka's election comes at a politically significant moment for Hungary, after the contested removal last month of former President Tamas Sulyok, an ally of Orban.

The change is part of a broader political transition under pro-European conservative Prime Minister Peter Magyar, whose government is seeking to weaken Orban's lingering influence over Hungary's state institutions. Parliament, where Magyar's ruling Tisza party holds a two-thirds majority, elected the 73-year-old Baka with 140 votes in favour and six against. Tisza nominated Baka for the largely ceremonial presidency on Saturday.

Magyar praised Baka's record, saying his career served "as an example of commitment to the democratic rule of law and constitutional principles" as Hungary needs to be "guided back onto the path of the rule of law and constitutional governance".

Why Baka's election matters

Baka's appointment carries strong symbolic significance because of his long-running conflict with the institutional changes introduced under Orban. The former judge served for 17 years at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg and became one of the most prominent judicial figures to challenge policies implemented during Orban's rule. His election therefore represents more than a change in Hungary's largely ceremonial presidency. Supporters of Magyar's government see Baka as a figure who could help restore confidence in the country's judicial independence and constitutional institutions after years of criticism over Orban's governance.

Baka's history with Orban's government

Baka has a long history of challenging decisions made during Orban's rule. After Hungary's transition to democracy, Baka briefly served as a lawmaker after being elected in 1990 on the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) party list.

He subsequently spent 17 years as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights, serving from 1991 to 2008.

In 2009, Baka was nominated to head Hungary's Supreme Court.

His tenure, however, ended abruptly in 2012 after he criticised legislation introduced under Orban that lowered the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 62. Baka described the move as a judicial purge. The European Union and the United States criticised the retirement-age measure as illegal. In 2016, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Baka's dismissal violated his freedom of expression.

His legal battle against the Hungarian government's decision has since become an important part of the debate over judicial independence and the rule of law in Hungary. "His nomination also carries a symbolic meaning, given that Baka went all the way to prove that what happened to him was not really in line with European Union norms," analyst Bulcsu Zsiga of the Centre for Fair Political Analysis told AFP.

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How long will Baka serve?

Magyar has indicated that Baka could serve only part of the standard presidential term. The prime minister has linked the presidency to his broader plan to replace the Basic Law adopted during the Orban era with a new constitution.

Magyar has said the replacement constitution should be drafted through extensive public participation.

He has estimated that the process could take between one and one and a half years and has promised to begin public consultations next month. If that process moves forward, Baka's presidency could therefore become part of a larger constitutional transition rather than simply a conventional change of head of state.

What Baka's presidency means for Hungary

Baka's election marks a striking reversal from the period in which he was removed from Hungary's highest judicial office after challenging an Orban-era judicial reform. Now, the same judge who took his case to Europe's highest human rights court has been chosen to become Hungary's head of state under a government promising to restore democratic institutions. For Magyar, the appointment provides a powerful symbol of the political transformation promised during his election campaign.

For Orban's supporters, however, the change represents another step in what they regard as an aggressive dismantling of the previous government's institutional legacy. Baka's presidency is therefore likely to be closely watched as Hungary enters a potentially far-reaching period of constitutional and political reform.