Hungary is currently undergoing a period of political change, with the search for a new president attracting diverse public input. Following the departure of former president Tamás Sulyok in July, Prime Minister Péter Magyar encouraged public figures, NGOs, and civilians to put forward names for the role.
Online discussions and polls have seen a variety of suggestions. One anonymous online poll indicated the most popular candidate to be András Arató, a retired electrical engineer globally recognised as the meme 'Hide the Pain Harold'. Other popular choices included Nobel-winning biochemist Katalin Karikó and Ernő Rubik, the inventor of the Rubik's Cube.
Magyar had initially nominated chess grandmaster Judit Polgár, but she declined the offer, leading to a public backlash and an apology from Magyar for "miscommunication". While there is no official channel for presidential recommendations, the ruling Tisza party's 141 parliamentarians are expected to propose and swear in a candidate before 19 August.