László Sólyom
President of Hungary from 2005 to 2010 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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László Sólyom (Hungarian: Sólyom László, pronounced [ˈʃoːjom ˈlaːsloː]; 3 January 1942 – 8 October 2023) was a Hungarian politician, lawyer, and librarian who was President of Hungary from 2005 until 2010. Previously he was the first president of the Constitutional Court of Hungary from 1990 to 1998.
László Sólyom | |
---|---|
President of Hungary | |
In office 5 August 2005 – 5 August 2010 | |
Prime Minister | |
Preceded by | Ferenc Mádl |
Succeeded by | Pál Schmitt |
President of the Constitutional Court | |
In office 1 August 1990 – 24 November 1998 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | János Németh |
Personal details | |
Born | (1942-01-03)3 January 1942 Pécs, Hungary |
Died | 8 October 2023(2023-10-08) (aged 81) Budapest, Hungary |
Political party | Independent (from 1989) |
Other political affiliations | Hungarian Democratic Forum (1987–1989) |
Spouse |
Erzsébet Nagy
(m. 1966; died 2015) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | University of Pécs (JD) |
A prominent jurist and pro-democracy activist, Sólyom became the first president of the Constitutional Court at a time when the country was in the final years of its democratic transition after decades of communist rule. During his mandate, the Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional, strengthened the protection of freedom of expression and conscience, and legitimated the domestic partnerships of homosexuals.
Later, in 2005, he was elected president of Hungary, a largely ceremonial position, as an independent candidate. He held this office until 2010.