"Operation Purgatory": The Hungarian Prime Minister launches a vast anti-corruption offensive and targets the president

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced on Monday a series of major reforms aimed at combating corruption and transforming the country's institutions. Among the most dramatic measures are the launch of impeachment proceedings against the Hungarian president and a sweeping constitutional overhaul.

Speaking before Parliament, Peter Magyar stated that his government would introduce a constitutional amendment to impeach President Tamas Sulyok. The Prime Minister accuses Sulyok of supporting the political legacy of former leader Viktor Orbán. For his part, Sulyok rejects these accusations and maintains that he is simply fulfilling his institutional role as a check on the government.

At the same time, the government intends to launch a vast program called "Operation Purgatory," presented as an offensive against the embezzlement of public funds. According to Peter Magyar, corruption has cost between 8% and 10% of Hungary's gross domestic product in recent years.

At the heart of this plan is the creation of a National Office for the Protection and Recovery of Assets. To enable its implementation, the government plans to amend 47 laws. This new institution will be responsible for investigating suspected misuse of public funds dating back up to twenty years.

The Prime Minister also announced a comprehensive revision of the Constitution, to begin this fall. The draft will be subject to public consultations before being submitted to a referendum. Other reforms target the judicial system, including the introduction of a 70-year age limit for judges of the Constitutional Court.

These changes could have significant consequences for several figures close to the former regime. Among them is Peter Polt, considered an ally of Viktor Orbán, who could be forced to resign if the reform is adopted.

Opposition to these plans quickly emerged. Gergely Gulyas, a member of the former ruling Fidesz party, called Peter Magyar's speech "defamatory and appalling." The debate is therefore expected to be particularly tense as the government attempts to fundamentally reshape Hungarian institutions.