Hungary’s Parliament has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, enabling prosecutors to advance a criminal investigation concerning an alleged theft incident in Budapest. The decision received overwhelming support, with 139 votes in favor and none against or abstaining.
The accusations against Magyar involve an incident at a Budapest nightclub in June 2024, where he is alleged to have taken a man’s phone following a confrontation and subsequently discarded it into the Danube River. The phone was later retrieved. Magyar has categorically denied any wrongdoing and described the investigation as politically motivated. He proactively called for the removal of his immunity, expressing his readiness to engage with the investigative process.
In addition to lifting Magyar’s immunity, the Parliament also revoked the immunity of two former ministers: Balázs Hankó, former Culture and Innovation Minister, and Miklós Seszták, former National Development Minister. Both individuals are subjects of separate investigations related to alleged corruption. Following the parliamentary vote, Seszták was detained by prosecutors, although he maintains his innocence.
The parliamentary decisions clear the way for prosecutors to proceed with their investigations into these cases without the barrier of parliamentary immunity. As of now, the investigations are ongoing, and no definitive convictions have been reached regarding the allegations.