Latest news in Hungary? September 18th, 2026

Politician Wealth Audits: The Hungarian government has introduced legislation granting the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) the authority to examine the assets and lifestyles of current and former politiciansdating back up to 20 yearsto ensure they match declared income. The measure targets ministers, prime ministers, and MPs.

US Energy Sanctions and Exemption Requests: Budapest is actively engaging with US lawmakers to seek an exemption from incoming US trade penalties and tariffs targeting major buyers of Russian oil and natural gas. Hungarian officials stated that while plans to eliminate dependence on Russian energy are underway, transitional relief is needed to safeguard domestic supplies.

LGBTQ+ Legal Revisions: Following an initial bill submitted earlier in the week to dismantle Orbán-era restrictions on LGBTQ+ content and same-sex couple adoptions, debate continues in Budapest as civil rights organizations push the administration to broaden reforms and repeal constitutional provisions enacted by the previous government.

Domestic Political Clashes: A sharp political feud has escalated between Prime Minister Péter Magyar and former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, after Orbán publicly criticized the country’s newly empowered anti-corruption and asset-monitoring bodies.