Politics
Hungary lifts legal immunity for prime minister and former ministers
Lawmakers voted to enable criminal probes into Péter Magyar and two former Orbán-era officials.
The short version
- Hungary's parliament voted 139-0 to lift the legal immunity of Prime Minister Péter Magyar and two former ministers from Viktor Orbán's previous government.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- The decision enables prosecutors to advance separate criminal investigations, though no formal indictments have been filed against the three politicians.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- Magyar faces a misdemeanor theft investigation stemming from a 2024 nightclub incident involving a phone, which he denies, while former ministers Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták face corruption and bribery probes.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- Opposition lawmakers from Fidesz and the Christian Democrats boycotted the vote, characterizing the legal proceedings against their members as political tyranny.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
Key facts
- Hungary's parliament voted 139-0 to lift the parliamentary immunity of Prime Minister Péter Magyar and former ministers Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- Lawmakers from Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party and the Christian Democrats boycotted the vote.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- Magyar is under investigation for suspected misdemeanor theft related to a June 2024 nightclub incident where a mobile phone was thrown into the Danube River.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- Former Culture Minister Balázs Hankó is investigated for alleged misuse of public cultural funds, while former Development Minister Miklós Seszták faces allegations of accepting bribes tied to state bus procurements and construction projects.[Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- None of the three lawmakers have been formally indicted.[ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- Whether prosecutors will formally indict any of the three lawmakers following the removal of their immunity remains unconfirmed.[ABC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.