Hungary's 'Operation Purgatory': Inside PM Magyar's Sweeping Anti-Corruption Drive and the Push to Oust President Sulyok

On June 22, 2026, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stood before parliament and announced what he called "Operation Purgatory" (also reported as "Operation Purifying Fire" or "Operation Cleansing Fire") . In a fiery address, he declared a drive to dismantle what he described as Hungary's "political and economic mafia" — the system of alleged corruption built under Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule .

The package is sweeping and confrontational. It includes a constitutional amendment to remove President Tamás Sulyok, the creation of a powerful new National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH), and a broader constitutional reform planned for autumn 2026 . All of this is made possible by the Tisza Party's two-thirds supermajority in parliament, won in a landslide election in April 2026 that ended Orbán's hold on power .

Ousting President Tamás Sulyok: A Constitutional First

President Tamás Sulyok, a former Orbán ally whom Magyar has repeatedly called a "puppet," refused a May 31 deadline to resign . This set the stage for a constitutional showdown. On June 1, Magyar announced he would amend the constitution to remove the president and other Orbán-era appointees . On June 22, he formally told parliament that the government would initiate Sulyok's removal via a constitutional amendment .

Under Hungary's current constitution, the president can only be removed through impeachment (for specific crimes, requiring a two-thirds judicial vote) or by leaving office voluntarily . Since Sulyok refused both paths, the government is using its two-thirds majority to change the constitutional rules themselves. Critics, including the Orbán-aligned outlet European Conservative, have called this a "constitutional putsch" and an attack on rule-of-law continuity . The exact text of the proposed amendment had not been published as of June 22, but reports indicate it would empower parliament to remove the president by a two-thirds vote .

The Constitutional Court effectively cleared a path for Magyar on June 19, when seven of its 15 justices recused themselves from Sulyok's petition to block his removal, stalling his legal challenge due to a lack of quorum .

National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH)

Magyar first announced plans for the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (Nemzeti Vagyonvisszaszerzési és Védelmi Hivatal, NVVH) in May 2026, describing it as a "key institution" of the regime change . The office's mandate is broad and retrospective — it is tasked with investigating abuses of public assets over the past 20 years, covering the entire Orbán era .

Its powers include:

• Uncovering corruption and concealment of assets
• Supporting criminal proceedings and using all legal means to reclaim stolen assets
• Recovering assets both within Hungary and abroad

Magyar has said he wants to grant the NVVH the "broadest possible powers," including possibly stronger provisions than originally drafted . The bill was originally scheduled for a June 22 parliamentary introduction but was delayed for public consultation first . Magyar stated he would rather equip the institution with genuine powers and avoid overlaps with the Integrity Authority and the prosecution service — or, if overlaps occur, ensure they are "supportive overlaps" . The NVVH is expected to begin operations as early as July 1, 2026 .

Broader Constitutional Reform Timeline

The government has outlined a phased approach:

• June 22, 2026: Operation Purgatory announced; constitutional amendment to remove Sulyok submitted to parliament; NVVH bill presented but deferred for public consultation
• Autumn 2026: A broader constitutional overhaul is planned, according to Magyar's announcement

The strategy appears to be: first remove key Orbán-era officeholders, then pursue deeper structural reform.

Political Context: The Tisza Party's Two-Thirds Majority

Péter Magyar's Tisza Party won a landslide election victory in April 2026, ending Viktor Orbán's 16-year hold on power . The win gave the Tisza Party a two-thirds supermajority in parliament — the exact threshold needed to amend Hungary's constitution unilaterally .

This supermajority is the enabling condition for all the measures described above: without it, the constitutional amendment to remove the president and the broader autumn reform could not pass. Magyar has argued that the mandate from voters authorizes him to "dismantle" Orbán's system entirely . Critics have called the moves an attack on rule-of-law continuity .

The EU Funding Dimension

A critical driver of the anti-corruption push is the need to unlock billions of euros in EU funding that had been frozen under Orbán over rule-of-law concerns . On June 9, 2026, the government filed a 110-page anti-corruption bill designed to address these concerns . The bill seeks to strengthen rules for how politicians declare their assets, expand the powers of the anti-corruption Integrity Authority, boost competition and transparency in public procurements, and unwind so-called public trusts . The EU had announced it would unlock more than 16 billion euros ($19 billion) for Hungary if Budapest stays on track with reforms, with the bulk of frozen funds coming from the EU's Covid recovery fund .

Magyar has also pledged to join the European Public Prosecutor's Office and restore the independence of the judiciary, media, and higher education institutions .

Key Takeaways

• Operation Purgatory is Hungary's most ambitious anti-corruption initiative in a generation, announced on June 22, 2026 .
• President Sulyok's removal is being pursued via a constitutional amendment — an unprecedented maneuver that critics call a "constitutional putsch" .
• The NVVH will investigate and recover allegedly stolen public assets from the past 20 years, with powers that Magyar wants to make as broad as possible .
• The Tisza Party's two-thirds supermajority is the political foundation for all these moves .
• EU funding — over €16 billion — is a major incentive, with the government needing to demonstrate rule-of-law reforms to unlock the money .