Hungary limits PM's terms as Armenian analyst warns of democratic backsliding at home

Hungary's parliament has approved a constitutional amendment limiting prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office, a move supporters say is designed to strengthen democratic safeguards against the long-term concentration of political power.

The decision is notable because Hungary operates under a parliamentary system, where term limits for heads of government are relatively rare. In most European parliamentary democracies, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy, prime ministers may remain in office indefinitely, provided they retain the support of a parliamentary majority.

Armenian political analyst Suren Surenyants, chairman of the Democratic Alternative Party, said the amendment reflects a growing recognition that democratic institutions can be weakened even when elections and constitutional procedures continue to function formally.

"The experience of the 21st century has shown that authoritarian tendencies can emerge not only through the suspension of elections or violations of constitutional order, but also within systems where democratic procedures remain formally intact," Surenyants said in a social media post on Wednesday.

He argued that prolonged dominance by a single leader or political force can gradually weaken political competition, erode institutional checks and balances, and diminish the culture of political alternation that underpins democratic governance.

According to Surenyants, Hungary's decision can be viewed as an attempt at democratic self-preservation, intended to prevent excessive concentration of power regardless of electoral legitimacy. He stressed, however, that term limits alone are insufficient to guarantee democratic accountability.

"The independence of the judiciary, a free press, genuine political competition and a strong culture of peaceful transfers of power remain the most important safeguards of democracy," he said.

Drawing a contrast with developments in Armenia, Surenyants argued that the country's political trajectory has moved in the opposite direction in recent years. He alleged that democratic counterweights have weakened, parliament has become increasingly dependent on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's leadership and judicial and law-enforcement institutions have been used to pursue political objectives.

He also said political discourse has become increasingly polarized, with critics of the government frequently portrayed as threats to national interests.

Such developments, Surenyants warned, risk creating conditions in which democratic institutions remain intact in form but lose their effectiveness in practice.

"Armenia is on a dangerous path toward the formation of stable authoritarian rule," he said.