The parliamentary group of the ruling party Tisza has agreed on András Baka after talks with ten candidates. In a secret ballot, the jurist prevailed. His election is considered certain due to Tisza’s two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and is expected to take place as early as Tuesday.
In the group’s statement, Baka is described as a staunch advocate of the separation of powers who has always stood up for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. His professional independence is said to be a valuable strength, especially in light of planned constitutional amendments.
Baka was removed as chief justice in 2011 after sharply criticizing Orbán’s judicial reform. The European Court of Human Rights later ruled that the termination of his term violated European law. New Prime Minister Péter Magyar had announced he would dismantle Orbán’s old power structures and restore democratic standards.
The nomination is Magyar’s second attempt at the presidency. He had previously proposed chess grandmaster Judit Polgár, who declined. The former ruling party Fidesz says it will not take part in the vote, calling it a “nomination and election spectacle degenerating into a soap opera.”
Source: Tagesschau
