Parliament Opens Autumn Session with Election of New Ombudsman

Parliament opened its autumn session on Monday with the election of Imre Juhász as Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, commemorations for two late MPs, and debates over multiple opposition immunity cases.

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights was elected by secret ballot. As a rule, the President of the Republic nominates the Ombudsman, and the candidate is elected for a six-year term by a two-thirds majority of the members of the National Assembly. At the beginning of July, President Tamás Sulyok nominated Imre Juhász, former constitutional judge and retired president of the Constitutional Court, as Commissioner for Fundamental Rights. On Monday, he received 134 votes in favor, 10 against, and there were 2 abstentions.

Imre Juhász (center) during the Parliament session. MTI/Hegedüs Róbert

The representatives then discussed twenty immunity cases involving several Momentum representatives. Among the incidents were attempts by opposition MPs to prevent the prime minister from entering the MTVA headquarters, as well as demonstrations on the Erzsébet Bridge, Kossuth Square, and Március 15 Square.

Before the session, the prime minister also posted a message on his social media page, revealing that he would “report on everything.”

“First session, parliamentary work begins. It was about time. So much has happened since spring, more than usually happens in years. I will report on everything, and I will also explain how Hungary will emerge victorious from these changes. Let us dare to make Hungary great!” he wrote in a post on Facebook.

The Europe We Once Knew and Loved Is Gone, Says Viktor Orbán