Hungary's Péter Magyar defends appointing brother-in-law as justice minister
Euronews reported on May 1 that Hungary's incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar, defended his selection of Márton Melléthei-Barna — a lawyer married to Magyar's sister and a founding member and legal director of his Tisz.
At a glance
- Péter Magyar named his brother-in-law Márton Melléthei-Barna as Hungary's justice minister, Euronews reported May 1.
- Magyar defended the appointment in a social media video and said his sister would be suspended from her judicial post.
- Fidesz figures criticized the appointment as nepotism given Magyar's clean-politics campaign pledges.
VERDICT — CONFIRMED
Euronews reported on May 1 that Hungary's incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar, defended his selection of Márton Melléthei-Barna — a lawyer married to Magyar's sister and a founding member and legal director of his Tisza Party — as justice minister. In a six-minute video posted to social media, Magyar called concerns about family ties understandable but said Melléthei-Barna's career and record were unquestionable, adding that his sister would be suspended from her judicial position. Figures from the opposition Fidesz party attacked the appointment as nepotism, noting Magyar had campaigned on cleaning up Hungarian politics and restoring checks and balances eroded during Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power.
Key facts on file
- Péter Magyar named his brother-in-law Márton Melléthei-Barna as Hungary's justice minister, Euronews reported May 1.
- Magyar defended the appointment in a social media video and said his sister would be suspended from her judicial post.
- Fidesz figures criticized the appointment as nepotism given Magyar's clean-politics campaign pledges.
