Hungary lifts immunity of PM Peter Magyar and two Orban-era ministers as corruption, bribery and embezzlement investigations move forward.
Hungary Lifts Immunity of PM Peter Magyar and Two Ex-Ministers
Hungary’s Parliament has lifted the legal immunity of Prime Minister Peter Magyar and two former ministers who served under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, allowing prosecutors to move forward with separate criminal investigations.
The parliamentary decision marks a significant development in Hungary’s political and corruption investigations, particularly as the country prepares for a major political transition following the end of Orban’s long period in power.
Magyar, who is facing an investigation over an alleged theft involving a mobile phone, had previously requested that his parliamentary immunity be removed. He said he wanted the investigation to proceed so that he could defend himself against what he described as a politically motivated campaign aimed at damaging his reputation.
The investigation concerns an incident that allegedly took place at a nightclub in Budapest in June 2024. Prosecutors allege that Magyar took a mobile phone from a man who was recording him and subsequently threw the device into the Danube River.
Magyar has rejected the allegations and described the case as a political attack. He has also accused prosecutors of attempting to link his case with investigations involving two former government ministers.
Corruption Investigations Target Former Orban Ministers
The parliamentary vote also removed the immunity of former Culture Minister Balazs Hanko and former National Development Minister Miklos Sesztak.
The investigations into the two former ministers are focused on serious allegations involving embezzlement, bribery and misuse of public funds. Both politicians deny wrongdoing.
Hanko, a member of Orban’s Fidesz party, is accused of allegedly misappropriating more than 40 million euros in public funds. Prosecutors allege that the money was used in connection with the 2026 parliamentary election campaign and for the personal benefit of other individuals.
Sesztak, a member of the Christian Democratic political alliance, is being investigated over allegations that he accepted more than $37.2 million in bribes and kickbacks. The allegations reportedly relate to vehicle procurement involving Hungary’s state-owned bus company and various government construction projects.
The investigations are particularly notable because they involve senior figures associated with the previous government and represent some of the most significant corruption allegations involving former Orban-era officials.
The Fidesz party and its political ally, KDNP, boycotted the parliamentary session during which the immunity votes took place.
Hungary’s Political Transition
The investigations come less than six months after Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party secured a major election victory, ending Viktor Orban’s 16-year period of political dominance.
Magyar built his campaign around promises to combat corruption, strengthen rule-of-law protections, improve government transparency and repair Hungary’s relationship with the European Union.
Since taking office, Magyar’s government has made the investigation of alleged corruption and questionable public procurement practices a central part of its political programme.
The government has also proposed establishing a new asset-recovery office designed to investigate and recover funds allegedly connected to wrongdoing during the previous administration.
What the Investigations Mean for Hungarian Politics
The lifting of parliamentary immunity does not establish guilt. It allows prosecutors to pursue investigations without the legal protection that had previously shielded the three politicians from prosecution.
The cases involving Magyar and the two former ministers are separate, with different allegations and circumstances surrounding each investigation.
For Magyar, the case is closely tied to an incident involving a mobile phone and alleged theft. The former ministers face substantially different accusations involving alleged financial misconduct, including the misuse of public money and alleged bribery.
The investigations could become an important test for Hungary’s new government and its anti-corruption agenda. Magyar has made transparency and accountability central themes of his administration, while supporters of the previous government have rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
As the investigations progress, prosecutors will determine whether the available evidence supports further legal action. The defendants, meanwhile, retain the right to contest the allegations against them.
The developments are likely to keep Hungary politics, government transparency, corruption, public procurement and relations with the European Union at the center of political debate as the new administration seeks to distinguish itself from the Orban era.
