Justice Minister-Designate Márton Melléthei-Barna Withdraws Before Inauguration — Conflict of Interest

Two days before the inaugural parliamentary session, Márton Melléthei-Barna withdrew as Justice Minister-designate in Magyar's government, citing a conflict of interest: he is Magyar's brother-in-law. Magyar accepted the withdrawal and announced the Justice Ministry post would be filled separately after the inauguration. The incident drew sharp criticism from Fidesz, which used the episode to argue that Magyar's government was 'built on personal networks, not expertise.' Magyar defended his overall cabinet selection, noting that 15 of 16 ministers were confirmed and that the Justice Ministry would be led by an interim appointee until a successor was identified. The vacancy complicated the ministry's assignment of leading the rule-of-law reform roadmap required to unlock €17B in frozen EU funds.