Hungary elects new president

Hungary’s parliament today elected Pal Schmitt as the new president, replacing Laszlo Solyom, whose five-year term ends in August.

Mr Schmitt was nominated for the mainly ceremonial role by the governing centre-right Fidesz party. The diplomat and two-time Olympic fencing champion received 263 votes from lawmakers, more than the two-thirds majority of 258 needed to win the vote.