Sulyok was appointed as a judge of the Constitutional Court of Hungary in 2014 and became its head in 2016. During his tenure, he oversaw several controversial rulings such as those involving the rights of teachers to go on strike.[2]
In February 2024, he became the nominee of the Fidesz party for President following the resignation of Katalin Novák due to uproar over her pardoning of an associate in a sexual abuse case. His nomination was approved in a two-thirds vote (134 in favor, 5 against and 60 leaving the chamber in protest)[3] by the National Assembly on 26 February, with support from Fidesz and its coalition partner, the Christian Democratic People's Party, after which he took his oath of office, although he would not be formally assuming the position until 5 March. Opposition parties criticized his nomination, describing Sulyok as politically inexperienced, and held a rally in Budapest on 25 February calling for direct presidential elections.[2]
In his inaugural address, Sulyok expressed his intent to be a follower of the letter of the law who would seek to refrain from engaging in Hungary’s political life. He also denounced the sanctions and procedures initiated by the European Union against Hungary over concerns in the rule of law and democratic governance, saying that "the correctly defined concept of the rule of law is being lost, transformed from an ideal into an idol in today's Europe as part of a purely utilitarian political approach", and emphasizing that EU member states should retain their legal national sovereignty.[3]
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