Jewish Chess Champion Judit Polgar Declines Hungary Presidency Amid Political Shift

Judit Polgar, the Jewish chess grandmaster, announced on Monday that she will not accept the presidency of Hungary, a largely ceremonial role, despite the new Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy’s recent offer. Medgyessy proposed Polgar for the position just one day after the forced resignation of former President Katalin Novák, who was seen by Medgyessy as a puppet of ex-Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Polgar, who turns 50 this week and is regarded as one of the greatest chess players ever, expressed gratitude for the offer but stated on Facebook that she does not feel she has the strength to take on the "historic responsibility of uniting a divided nation."

Polgar’s family is a well-known Jewish family in Hungary, with close ties to Israel; her sister Sofia lives in Israel and is married to Israeli chess player Yona Kosashvili. Polgar herself has spoken proudly about her Jewish identity and solidarity with Israelis amid rising global antisemitism.

Medgyessy’s offer came shortly after the outgoing president signed a constitutional amendment initiated by Medgyessy’s ruling party, effectively ending Novák’s term immediately due to "severe public distrust." This move is part of Medgyessy’s broader effort to dismantle power centers established by Orban, who ruled Hungary for 16 years and was accused of undermining democracy by controlling the media and judiciary. Medgyessy’s party holds a supermajority in parliament, enabling them to enact constitutional changes, including a new limit of eight years total for any prime minister’s tenure.

Since his April election victory, Medgyessy has repeatedly called for Novák’s resignation, criticizing her failure to oppose Orban’s anti-democratic measures. When Novák refused to step down, Medgyessy’s parliamentary faction passed a constitutional amendment to remove her from office. Polgar’s refusal to accept the presidency leaves the position open amid ongoing political restructuring in Hungary.