The Hungarian Parliament has voted to remove parliamentary immunity from Prime Minister Péter Magyar, enabling prosecutors to investigate his involvement in an alleged theft in Budapest. The parliamentary decision passed with 139 votes in favor and no opposition or abstentions, allowing the investigation to proceed.
The case involves an incident that occurred in June 2024 at a nightclub in Budapest. Magyar is accused of taking a man’s phone following a confrontation and subsequently discarding it into the Danube River. The phone was recovered, and Magyar has denied any wrongdoing, labeling the accusations as politically motivated. He has expressed willingness to face the investigation, having personally requested the lifting of his immunity.
In addition to Magyar, the parliamentary session also resulted in the removal of immunity for former Culture and Innovation Minister Balázs Hankó and former National Development Minister Miklós Seszták. Both former ministers are subjects of separate corruption investigations. Following the vote, Seszták was detained by prosecutors, although he asserts his innocence.
The removal of immunity for these politicians allows prosecutors to advance their investigations without the barrier of parliamentary protection. The inquiries continue, and as of now, no final convictions have been reached regarding the allegations.