Chess legend Judit Polgar has turned down Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar's offer to become president of the republic, a position that was left vacant after constitutional amendments were passed last week, Hungarian news agency MTI reported.
President Tamas Sujok's powers have been suspended and his successor will be elected by the Hungarian parliament.
"I do not believe I have the strength to take on the historic responsibility of uniting a divided nation, and therefore I cannot accept this invitation," Polgar, considered the greatest female chess player in history, wrote on social media.
She has topped the women's world rankings for 26 years without interruption, while also managing to enter the top ten of the overall world rankings for both genders.
Judit Polgár is part of the famous Hungarian chess family along with her sisters Sofia and Zhuzha.