Chess King: Judit Polgar nominated for Hungarian presidency

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has announced that he intends to nominate international grandmaster Judit Polgar for the position of president of Hungary, acknowledging that her reputation and track record recommend her as a personality capable of representing national unity. The information was reported by Reuters. Magyar stated, in a Facebook post, that he will meet with Judit Polgar to find out if she is willing to accept the nomination for the position of head of state, which has a mainly ceremonial role.

• Change comes after amendment to the Constitution

The prime minister's announcement comes a day after President Tamas Sulyok promulgated the constitutional amendment adopted by Parliament, which ends his mandate as president. The change is part of a package of reforms promoted by the government led by Peter Magyar, which claims to be seeking to restructure state institutions after its victory in the parliamentary elections in April. According to the prime minister, these measures reflect the mandate received from voters to reform the political system built under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The parliament, where the Tisza party holds a two-thirds majority, is to elect a new president, who will serve until the new constitution comes into force or for a maximum period of five years.

• Judit Polgar, a world chess legend

At 49, Judit Polgar is considered the most valuable chess player in history. She is the only woman to have exceeded the 2,700 Elo rating, a performance associated with the "Super Grandmaster” category, and has competed throughout her career in men's competitions, where she has defeated numerous grandmasters. In 1988, together with her sisters, Zsuzsa (Susan) and Zsofia (Sofia) Polgar, as well as Ildiko Madl, she contributed to the victory of the Hungarian women's team at the Chess Olympiad, interrupting the dominance of the Soviet Union in this competition. In February 2026, the Netflix platform released the documentary "Queen of Chess", dedicated to Judit Polgar's career and contribution to the development of world chess.

• Prime Minister: "Her name is synonymous with talent and perseverance"

"I will meet with her tomorrow and ask her if she is ready to serve her country in a new role until the adoption of the new Constitution. Judit Polgar's name has been synonymous with talent and perseverance for decades," Peter Magyar wrote on Facebook. So far, Judit Polgar has not commented publicly on the proposal, and Reuters notes that she did not respond to the agency's request for comment.