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Péter Magyar, the prime minister, has invited Judit Polgár, the most successful female chess player the world has ever seen, to become Hungary’s president. Polgár is the only woman in the history of chess to have broken the 2700 Elo rating barrier for super-grandmasters. She led the women’s world rankings for 26 consecutive years, achieved a career-best of eighth place on the overall world list, and is a two-time women’s Chess Olympiad champion. The widely respected athlete has not previously taken on any political role.
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“Our country needs unity, peace and a president in whom every Hungarian can be proud. The presidency is not a profession, not a job, but the highest form of service. The president’s duty is to serve and to represent every Hungarian.
“The Judit Polgár put forward today as president by recognised figures of Hungarian public life is such a person, which is why I will meet her on Monday and ask whether, until the adoption of the new constitution, she is prepared to serve our country in a new role,” the prime minister wrote in his Sunday evening Facebook post (source in Hungarian).
“For decades, Judit Polgár’s name has been synonymous with talent and perseverance. As the most successful female player in chess history, she led the women’s world rankings uninterrupted for 26 years, while also breaking into the top ten of the overall world list.
“A five-time Chess Olympiad champion, international grandmaster and recipient of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary, her extraordinary life story was recently presented in the documentary film The Queen of Chess.
“A few weeks ago, Christ’s College at the University of Cambridge elected her to its fellowship. Judit Polgár’s career to date has always been about performance. The esteem in which she is held is not due to political loyalties or connections, but to her exceptional talent, diligence, extraordinary stamina and integrity.
“She is a Hungarian whose achievements inspire respect and admiration at home and across the world”, Magyar continued in his post.
At the beginning of July, the prime minister posted a photo on his social media accounts showing him playing chess with Judit Polgár. Since then there has been lively speculation as to whether Magyar is considering her as his candidate for head of state.
On Saturday evening, President Tamás Sulyok announced that he would sign the 17th amendment to the Fundamental Law. His mandate will end on the day after the law is promulgated, meaning that from midnight on Sunday he is no longer Hungary’s president. For one month, the office will be held by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ágnes Forsthoffer.
On Sunday, sixteen leading figures from science, culture and sport wrote a letter to Forsthoffer, proposing chess player Judit Polgár for the presidency. The Ügyvédkör lawyers’ group, meanwhile, announced it is putting forward Péter Bárándy as its candidate for president.
