Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Márki-Zay has nominated Judit Polgár, the world's top female chess grandmaster, to become the new president. This aims to foster unity and restore national confidence after Parliament passed a law removing the previous president, an ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Márki-Zay announced the nomination of Judit Polgár, the world's leading female chess grandmaster, widely regarded as the greatest female chess player ever, to serve as the country's new president. This follows a constitutional amendment that took effect last week, leaving the head of state position vacant.
Márki-Zay posted on Facebook that Hungary needs "unity, peace, and a president all Hungarians can be proud of." He added he will meet Polgár on Monday, 20 July, to ask if she is ready to take the position.
Prime Minister Márki-Zay said the presidency is not a profession or job but the highest form of public service. He praised Polgár for being recognized by the public for her talent, dedication, hard work, and integrity rather than political connections.
Polgár, soon to turn 50, is celebrated as the most successful female chess player in history, holding the top world ranking among women for over 25 years before retiring in 2014.
She made history at just 15 years old by becoming the youngest grandmaster in the world at that time. The chess community credits her with breaking down barriers between male and female players by defeating many top male grandmasters throughout her career.
Additionally, Polgár is a central figure in Netflix's documentary "Queen of Chess," which chronicles her rise to the top in a male-dominated chess world.
This nomination follows the Hungarian Parliament's constitutional amendment that removed Tamás Sulyok from the presidency. Sulyok was a close ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who ruled for 16 years before losing the April election.
Márki-Zay, who won the election on a "regime change" platform, previously accused Sulyok and several senior officials of being "puppets" of the Orbán government and pledged to reform the power structures inherited from the previous administration.
After Sulyok's removal last Sunday, Ágnes Fösthöfer, Speaker of Parliament, will serve as acting head of state until Parliament elects a new president within 30 days, expected no later than 20 August, Hungary's national day.
However, the latest constitutional amendment has drawn criticism from several human rights organizations. Human Rights Watch remarked that the move recalls the Orbán-led Fidesz party government’s controversial legal changes aimed at political advantage.
So far, Judit Polgár has not publicly responded to the prime minister’s nomination. Observers are watching closely, as her acceptance would make her one of the few sports figures to become Hungary’s head of state during this significant political transition.
Source: AFP /Reuters