Hungary’s Parliament has decisively voted to remove the parliamentary immunity of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, enabling prosecutors to investigate allegations related to an incident at a Budapest nightclub in June 2024. The vote, which passed with 139 in favor and none opposed or abstaining, marks a significant development in the case where Magyar is accused of taking a man’s phone after a confrontation and later disposing of it in the Danube River. The phone was recovered, and Magyar has consistently denied any wrongdoing, labeling the investigation as politically motivated. He has expressed readiness to face the inquiry by requesting the removal of his immunity himself.
In addition to Magyar, the immunity of two former ministers, Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták, was also lifted by Parliament. Hankó, who previously served as the Culture and Innovation Minister, and Seszták, the former National Development Minister, are both under scrutiny for separate corruption-related investigations. Following the parliamentary decision, Seszták was detained by prosecutors but maintains his innocence.
These actions by the Hungarian Parliament allow legal proceedings to continue without the protection of parliamentary immunity for the involved lawmakers. As the investigations proceed, it remains important to note that none of the allegations have led to definitive convictions at this stage.