BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s Parliament voted Monday to pass a constitutional amendment to remove President Tamás Sulyok from office and make some political reforms aimed at dismantling the political system of autocratic former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
After winning in a landslide election in April, current Prime Minister Péter Magyar and his pro-European, center-right Tisza party hold a two-thirds majority in Parliament, allowing them to make constitutional changes and roll back many of the policies Orbán implemented during his 16 years in power.
The constitutional amendment, which had the stated purpose of “restoring rule-of-law democracy,” passed with 139 votes for and six against in the 199-member Parliament. Tisza lawmakers held a standing ovation after the vote, while lawmakers from Orbán's far-right Fidesz party boycotted the parliamentary session.
Sulyok needs to sign the amendment within five days for it to become law, and has not said whether he would do so, but Tisza has vowed to launch an impeachment procedure against him if he doesn't.
Magyar has argued that Sulyok failed to live up to his role as president by neglecting to stand in the way of antidemocratic steps by Orbán’s government. Magyar promised repeatedly to remove Sulyok during the election campaign, and points to his party’s big win as a clear mandate from voters to fulfill that promise. Sulyok has resisted Magyar's calls to resign.
Following the vote, Magyar told a news conference that with the passage of the amendment his government had “started the transformation of the Orbán legal system.”
“With this vote today, we have closed an era,” he said. “We asked for and received a completely clear mandate from the Hungarian people to do this.”
The amendment would simply remove Sulyok from office, meaning that Parliament would elect a new president. It also would make some judicial reforms, set up an office aimed at investigating financial abuses under the Orbán government and impose a 12-year term limit on lawmakers.
Fidesz has argued that the amendment is an “unprecedented” assault on Hungary’s democratic order, and last week staged a protest in opposition to the changes which drew around 3,000 people but which Orbán did not attend.
On Monday, Orbán posted a photograph of Magyar on Facebook with the subtitle, “Democratic Hungary: 1990-2026” — the period since Hungary transitioned from state socialism. Orbán was traveling to the United States on Monday to attend the final three matches of the World Cup.
While mostly a ceremonial role, Hungary’s president is responsible for signing legislation into law and has the power to send bills passed by Parliament to the Constitutional Court for review. That’s raised concerns among supporters of the new government that Sulyok, an Orbán-era appointee, could use that power to obstruct its plans.
Since taking office in May, the government has quickly gone to work dismantling what Magyar calls Orbán’s “mafia” by removing numerous political appointees and heads of institutions viewed as having facilitated Orbán’s autocratic regime.
They suspended the news service of Hungary’s public television and radio — which Magyar has argued served as a “propaganda factory” for Orbán’s party — and shuttered Hungary's Sovereignty Protection Office, an authority seen by Orbán's opponents as a tool for intimidating critics and silencing independent media.
Prior to Monday's vote, Fidesz caucus leader Gergely Gulyás said the amendment “breaks up the legal system, undermines the rule of law and restricts democracy.” Gulyás announced he would resign as caucus leader, given that the amendment's 12-year term limit would make him unable to take a seat in Parliament in the next national election.
Fidesz supporters called for a candlelight vigil outside Hungary's parliament building on Monday evening to demonstrate against what they called the “tyranny” of Magyar's government.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar holds an extraordinary press briefing following a voting on the 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law in the parliament building in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, July 13, 2026. (Tamas Purger/MTI via AP)
Deputies vote on the 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law at the plenary session of the parliament in in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, July 13, 2026. (Robert Hegedus/MTI via AP)
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, second right, and Foreign Minister Anita Orban, right, vote on the 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law at the plenary session of the parliament in in Bud(Robert Hegedus/MTI via AP)
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The Washington Commanders had just under two weeks to sit with their disheartening start to the season before their matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.
Coming off a bye week, they still needed an extra 10 or so minutes.
Washington pulled together after an extraordinarily sloppy first quarter to score 27 straight points in a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. It was Washington’s first win in more than a month, and Philadelphia’s sixth straight loss.
“When you come off of a bye, you either rev right up or you need a minute to warm up — and we took a minute,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said.
The Commanders (2-4-1) committed a bevy of first-quarter penalties, which put them behind 10-0.
Jayden Daniels threw for 217 yards and a touchdown, as the offense got rolling. Aided by a defense that pitched a shutout for the final three-plus quarters, Daniels had time to build rapport with his receivers absent Terry McLaurin. The victory was Daniels’ first as a starter since beating the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 5, 2025.
“It’s a blessing from God just to go out there, and everything I’ve been through in my career so far,” Daniels said. “From different injuries and a lot of different setbacks."
The Commanders sacked Tanner McKee five times and intercepted one of his passes while holding the Eagles to 268 yards — just 199 before the meaningless final drive.
In his third start of the season in place of the injured Jalen Hurts, McKee threw for 212 yards without a touchdown. And prior to the final drive of the game, the Eagles' longest drive was 52 yards.
“We just made adjustments,” cornerback Trey Amos said. “We started a little bit slow, those things will happen sometimes, but after those adjustments, everybody came together to try and figure out a plan. It worked out, later down the line, series, quarters.”
Saquon Barkley ran for a touchdown for the Eagles but was held to 30 yards on 13 carries. Philadelphia finished with 91 yards rushing.
“I know nobody feels sorry for us, that’s for damn sure,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “Everyone is going to give us their best shot. I know nobody feels sorry for us and we have to do everything we can do to fix it so we don’t have this feeling for the last six games. Obviously, it sucks."
Both teams committed costly penalties. The Eagles’ Jake Elliott made a field goal to cut Washington’s lead to three points in the fourth quarter, but he had to try again because of an illegal formation penalty and missed from 41 yards.
Drew Stevens kicked four field goals for Washington, including a 56-yarder late in the first quarter. Daniels connected with Stefon Diggs for an 8-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter that tied it at 10l, and Washington led 13-10 at halftime.
The Commanders had a sloppy first few drives. Stevens missed his first field goal attempt, from 55 yards, and Chig Okonkwo lost a fumble.
Barkley’s 3-yard touchdown run put Philadelphia ahead 10-0 in the first quarter.
On Washington’s final drive of the first half, Daniels took a hard hit and was slow to get to his feet, but he stayed in the game as the Commanders finished with 27 straight points.
The Commanders remain in the hunt in a weak NFC East, two games behind the first-place New York Giants, despite opening the season with just one win in their first six games.
The Eagles, on the other hand, are in last place.
“Are teams taking shots at us? Yeah,” Barkley said. “We’re not the big bad Eagles anymore.”
Eagles: Safety Michael Carter suffered an abdominal injury.
Commanders: Running back Jeremy McNichols limped to the locker room in the second half with a left foot injury.
Eagles: Host the Giants on Sunday.
Commanders: Host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) scores a touchdown ahead of Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu (4) during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3) catches a touchdown pass ahead of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Kenny Moore (23) during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Washington Commanders defensive end Charles Omenihu (90) chases after a fumble with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Washington Commanders cornerback Rasul Douglas (29) intercepts a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper (80) during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3) celebrates with quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) after they teamed up on a touchdown pass play against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
