Hungary's 'Operation Purge' Detains Two Ex-Ministers as PM Magyar Loses Immunity

Key points

• Miklós Seszták and Balázs Hankó were detained on Monday after parliament lifted their immunity, facing charges related to €30 million in bribes and €46 million in misused cultural funds, respectively.
• Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which won the April election on an anti-corruption platform, has labeled this initiative 'Operation Purge' to dismantle state capture from the previous era.
• Parliament also lifted Magyar’s immunity regarding a 2024 incident where he threw a phone into the Danube River; he called the case a 'sham' and a 'character assassination' attempt.
• The newly established National Asset Recovery and Protection Office has launched four new investigations, including cases involving real estate mogul Dániel Jellinek and local council expenditures.
• Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party have condemned the detentions as arbitrary political revenge, with Orbán warning that the 'Tisza tyrants' cannot imprison half the country.

Background

This development follows the April 2026 parliamentary election, where Péter Magyar’s Tisza party secured a landslide victory, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule. The new government has since focused on restoring rule-of-law safeguards and rebuilding relations with the European Union. Previous coverage noted that parliament stripped immunity from Magyar and the two ex-ministers on September 29, 2026, setting the stage for these criminal proceedings. The current detentions represent the first major corruption cases against senior figures from the Orbán era, a period Magyar’s government claims cost Hungary 8% to 10% of its GDP through corruption.

How outlets are covering it

Euronews and The Guardian highlight the significance of the detentions as a fulfillment of Magyar’s campaign promise to hold former officials accountable, noting that both suspects deny wrongdoing. Al Jazeera emphasizes the procedural aspect, noting that Fidesz and KDNP boycotted the immunity vote. Politico provides a nuanced view on the legal risks for Magyar, noting that while he faces a theft charge, he would only lose the premiership if convicted of a custodial sentence, which is considered less likely. Fidesz, represented by Orbán, frames the entire process as a tyrannical dismantling of the rule of law, arguing that the investigations are politically motivated to destroy the opposition. Analysts like Szabolcs Dull suggest that while the purge resonates with voters seeking accountability, Fidesz is using the narrative of arbitrariness to maintain its voter base.

Why it matters

The detention of former ministers and the lifting of the sitting prime minister’s immunity signal a potential shift in Hungary’s political and legal landscape. It tests the boundaries of judicial independence and political accountability in the country. If successful, these cases could set precedents for holding former officials to account, potentially influencing Hungary’s relationship with the EU and its domestic political stability. Conversely, if perceived as politically motivated, it could deepen polarization and undermine trust in the justice system.

What to watch

The next steps will involve the formal prosecution of Seszták and Hankó, as well as the resolution of the theft case against Magyar. The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office is expected to proceed with its four announced investigations, including those involving high-profile figures like Dániel Jellinek. Fidesz is likely to continue its campaign of support for the detained ministers and criticism of the government, potentially leading to further political confrontations in parliament and the public sphere.