Hungary's Parliament revoked the immunity of Peter Magyar, the Prime Minister of the country, on Monday. This action also includes two former ministers from Viktor Orbán's government. The revocation of immunity means that judicial investigations into Magyar and two opposition representatives can now begin.
Historic Vote in Parliament
The Parliament revoked the immunity of Magyar, Balázs Hankó (former Minister of Culture and Innovation), and Miklós Szájer (former Minister of National Development) with 139 votes in favor and no votes against. Representatives from the Fidesz party (the ruling right-wing party) and the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) did not participate in this vote. Magyar, who brought the center-right Tisza party to power in April, had requested the revocation of his immunity.
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Judicial Investigations Against Magyar and Former Ministers
The investigation into Magyar relates to an incident in 2024 where he allegedly took a mobile phone from a man filming him in a nightclub in Budapest and threw it into the Danube River. Magyar has described this case as a "comedy" and claims that judicial authorities are trying to link this case with corruption charges against former members of Orbán's government.
Balázs Hankó, who is currently a Fidesz representative, is under investigation for potential misuse of public funds from Hungary's National Cultural Fund. Officials claim that in over 1,000 instances, public funds have been improperly used, resulting in a loss of 17.3 billion forints (about 44.5 million euros). Hankó has denied these allegations.
Miklós Szájer, a KDNP representative who served as Minister of National Development from 2014 to 2018, is also under separate investigation for allegedly receiving bribes related to contracts with the state-owned bus company Volánbusz.
Magyar, who emphasized the need for investigations into corruption and abuses of power during Orbán's 16-year presidency in his election campaign last April, now faces serious challenges in this regard. This parliamentary decision could lead to significant changes in Hungary's future policies.
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