Key facts
- Prime Minister Peter Magyar said his party's parliamentary group would approve President Andras Baka's nominee, Peter Fejes.
- Fejes, 66, retired last year after a career spent entirely in the prosecution service.
- The chief prosecutor serves a nine-year term and needs a two-thirds majority in parliament.
- Tisza had rejected Baka's first nominee for chief prosecutor.
- Former chief prosecutor Gabor Balint Nagy submitted his resignation in July.
- Magyar has said corruption has cost Hungarians 8% to 10% of gross domestic product in recent years.
Hungary's governing Tisza party will approve President Andras Baka's nominee for chief prosecutor, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on November 2, a step in his efforts to reshape public institutions after his April election victory.
Magyar said in a Facebook post that his party's parliamentary group would approve Baka's new nominee, Peter Fejes. Fejes, 66, retired last year after a career spent entirely in the prosecution service and specialises in criminal law, European Union law and sports law. The chief prosecutor is elected to a nine-year term and requires the support of a two-thirds majority in parliament, a threshold Magyar's party can meet on its own. Tisza had rejected Baka's first nominee.
Appointing a new chief prosecutor is central to Magyar's anti-corruption drive, which he has dubbed "Operation Purgatory". Since taking power in May, Magyar's centre-right Tisza party has removed several figures promoted by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban to key public positions, including the chief prosecutor, the head of the constitutional court, the head of the media authority, and Hungary's president. Former chief prosecutor Gabor Balint Nagy submitted his resignation in July.
Under Magyar, Hungary has also joined the European Public Prosecutor's Office and set up the National Asset Protection and Recovery Office to investigate alleged corruption during Orban's 16-year rule, allegations the former prime minister has denied. Magyar has said corruption, including misuse of public funds, has cost Hungarians 8% to 10% of gross domestic product in recent years. Two former ministers from Orban's government and former central bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy are currently under arrest over graft accusations.