Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on X on Sunday that he plans to ask chess grandmaster Judit Polgár to serve as the country’s next president.
"Judit Polgár's name has been synonymous with talent and perseverance for decades," Magyar said in his post.
He highlighted Judit Polgár’s illustrious and trailblazing chess career, noting that she is a five-time Chess Olympiad champion and international grandmaster whose story was featured in the 2026 Netflix documentary Queen of Chess.
Her early success included helping Hungary win the women’s competition at the 1988 Chess Olympiad alongside her sisters, Zsuzsa, known as Susan, and Zsófia, known as Sofia, as well as Ildikó Mádl, ending years of Soviet dominance.
Polgár went on to compete primarily against men, breaking into the absolute world top 10 and becoming the only woman to surpass the 2700 rating threshold associated with the “Super GM” distinction.
The greatest female chess player of all time
Widely regarded as the greatest female chess player in history, she led the women’s world rankings for an uninterrupted 26 years. In one of the most memorable victories of her career, she defeated chess legend Garry Kasparov in September 2022.
In August 2015, then-President János Áder awarded Polgár the Order of Saint Stephen, Hungary’s highest state honor, which recognizes individuals whose talent, determination, and perseverance have brought about meaningful change and helped shape society and the nation.
Polgár was born into a Jewish family in Budapest whose history was deeply affected by the Holocaust, with several relatives murdered and her paternal grandparents surviving Auschwitz. Her family has maintained close ties to Israel, where her sister Sofia and their parents later settled.
Sulyok: the amendment weakens the rule of law
Current President Tamas Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment passed by Magyar's ruling party, Tisza, that ended the president's term immediatley, Reuters said Saturday.
The legislation formed part of Magyar’s broader effort to weaken the power structures built under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Magyar said voters had given him a clear mandate to pursue those changes after his landslide election victory over the right-wing leader in April.
Sulyok said he had to sign the law because it met Hungary’s legal requirements, but warned that it had weakened the rule of law. “The seventeenth amendment to the Constitution has marked a watershed in Hungary's constitutional democracy,” he said, adding that it had set a dangerous precedent.
Orban also criticized the reforms, saying, “Tyranny is no longer a threat but reality. If this could be done to the President, tomorrow, no one will be safe.” Fidesz has faced several senior resignations and declining public support since losing the April election.
The amendment set term limits for lawmakers to 12 years, for Constitutional Court judges to retire at 70
The amendment also limits lawmakers to 12 years in office and requires Constitutional Court judges to retire at 70, forcing the court’s current president, Orban ally Peter Polt, to step down.
Parliament Speaker Agnes Forsthoffer would assume the role of interim president from Monday until the next president is chosen.
"Judit Polgár's career to date has always been about achievement," Magyar said. "The recognition surrounding her is not due to political affiliations or connections, but to her exceptional talent, diligence, unparalleled resilience, and integrity."
"Personally, I would consider it a tremendous honor if she accepts the invitation," Magyar concluded.
Jerusalem Post Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.