Hungary’s Parliament has lifted the parliamentary immunity of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, a move that allows prosecutors to proceed with a criminal investigation connected to an alleged incident in Budapest. The decision was made with 139 votes in favor, and no opposition or abstentions recorded.
The case centers around an event that took place in June 2024 at a nightclub in Budapest, where Magyar is accused of taking a man’s phone following a confrontation and subsequently throwing it into the Danube River. The phone was later retrieved. Magyar has denied any wrongdoing, labeling the investigation as politically motivated. He has expressed his willingness to face the investigation, having personally requested that his immunity be lifted.
In addition to Magyar, the Parliament also lifted immunity for former Culture and Innovation Minister Balázs Hankó and former National Development Minister Miklós Seszták. Both former ministers are subjects of separate investigations concerning alleged corruption. Following the parliamentary vote, Seszták was detained by prosecutors, though he maintains his innocence.
The removal of immunity allows Hungarian prosecutors to advance with the investigations into the three politicians without the hindrance of parliamentary protection. As of now, the inquiries are ongoing, and there have been no final convictions regarding the allegations.