Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar nominates chess grandmaster Judit Polgar for interim presidency, but she declines.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced on July 19, 2026, that he would nominate Judit Polgar, widely regarded as the greatest female chess player, for the largely ceremonial role of president. The nomination followed the signing of a constitutional amendment ending President Tamas Sulyok's term, part of Magyar's effort to dismantle former PM Viktor Orban's political legacy. Polgar declined the nomination the following day, stating she did not feel she had the strength to unite a divided nation.
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Only the left is covering this
One side of the spectrum has stayed silent. That absence is itself a signal.
“Strategic move by Hungary's Magyar as he picks chess prodigy for president”G The Guardian LEFT
“Hungarian PM nominates Jewish chess grandmaster Judit Polgar to serve as interim president” · Times of Israel, Globe and Mail, Jerusalem Post, Bloomberg, Reuters, Le Monde, South China Morning Post