Hungary's New PM Wants to Investigate Its Old One

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar told lawmakers on Tuesday that his party's majority in Parliament will form investigative committees to look into alleged corruption and abuses of power by Viktor Orbán and his previous government. Magyar and his center-right Tisza party defeated the autocratic leader in a landslide election last month. The win, which gave Tisza a two-thirds majority, allows it to roll back many of the policies that gave Orbán a reputation among his critics as a far-right authoritarian, reports the AP. Among Tisza's biggest campaign promises was holding Orbán, his nationalist-populist Fidesz party, and their allied business elites accountable for alleged misconduct.

Magyar said Tuesday that six parliamentary investigative committees will be set up to examine a number of issues from Orbán's tenure, including the suspected misappropriation of public funds managed by Hungary's National Bank, a case currently under police investigation that potentially involves hundreds of millions of dollars. "We will put all corruption and abuses of power on full display," Magyar said. "The Hungarian people have the right to know who benefited from their money, who stole their money, who got rich from the vulnerability of the people."

During his 16 years as Hungary's prime minister, Orbán was accused by many critics of overseeing the widespread misuse of public funds, including through funneling lucrative state contracts to family members and a group of business figures allied with his party. He was also accused of using state power to erode democratic institutions, leading the European Parliament in 2022 to declare Hungary no longer a democracy. Since taking office earlier this month, lawmakers from Magyar's party have submitted a constitutional amendment that would limit prime ministers to eight years in office, a restriction that would apply to Magyar. Orbán, who served four consecutive terms, wouldn't be able to serve as prime minister again.

On Tuesday, Magyar said his government would also look into enforcing the eight-year limit on other elected offices, adding: "No one should imagine that electoral authority is inherited forever." The new premier has also pledged to pass a constitutional amendment that would dissolve Hungary's Sovereignty Protection Office, an authority created by Orbán's government in 2023 tasked with investigating non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and political parties in the name of preventing foreign influence. Magyar also vowed that his government would eliminate "political privileges" previously enjoyed by officeholders, including reducing salaries for the prime minister and cabinet members, executives at state companies, and lawmakers.