Hungary's reckoning with Orban's corrupt system begins

Key Points:

• The new Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar, launched "Operation Purgatory" in June 2026 to investigate corruption under Viktor Orban, recover embezzled assets, and hold responsible individuals accountable, but progress has been limited so far.
• Recently, two former ministers and lawmakers aligned with Orban were arrested on corruption charges: Balazs Hanko for allegedly misusing around €50 million from the National Cultural Fund, and Miklos Sesztak for allegedly accepting €30 million in bribes related to state contracts.
• The lifting of parliamentary immunity for these lawmakers sparked dramatic scenes, including Hanko barricading himself in Parliament with his family and later being taken into pretrial detention; Sesztak was also detained immediately after losing immunity.
• Prime Minister Magyar also had his immunity lifted voluntarily over a minor theft case to demonstrate equal accountability, contrasting his actions with the extensive alleged corruption by Orban's affiliates.
• Magyar's government faces challenges balancing judicial independence with public demand for swift anti-corruption actions, while disputes over the appointment of a new prosecutor general and concerns about political influence on the justice system continue.