Parliament Members Cut Their Own Salaries, as Well as Those of the Prime Minister and Ministers

If anyone thought this happened in Ukraine, then… not quite!

The National Assembly of Hungary (Parliament) has passed a bill significantly reducing the salaries of Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister, and government officials, according to the Hungarian publication Világgazdaság. The proposal of the ruling Tisza Party was supported by all major political forces, including the opposition parties Fidesz and Our Homeland. The law was adopted by 189 votes, with no votes against or abstentions.

The bill was registered on May 28, 2026, and became one of the first major initiatives of the Tisza Party following the parliamentary elections held on April 12, 2026.

Under the new rules, the basic salary of an MP will be calculated using a coefficient of 1.8 times the national average salary instead of the previous coefficient of 3. As a result, the monthly gross salary of an MP will decrease from HUF 2.18 million (approximately USD 7,100) to HUF 1.31 million (approximately USD 4,300). Thus, each parliamentarian will lose about HUF 873,000 per month (approximately USD 2,800), or more than HUF 10.4 million annually (approximately USD 33,800).

Senior officials will lose even more due to substantial allowances linked to the basic salary. The Speaker of Parliament will receive approximately HUF 3.81 million gross (around USD 12,400) instead of HUF 5.89 million (around USD 19,100).

The salaries of Deputy Speakers and some parliamentary faction leaders will decrease from HUF 4.36 million (approximately USD 14,200) to between HUF 3.14 and 3.47 million (approximately USD 10,200–11,300).

The Prime Minister’s salary will amount to approximately HUF 3.8 million gross (around USD 12,400), which is HUF 4–5 million (USD 13,000–16,200) less than the current level. According to some estimates, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Mihály Orbán earned more than HUF 8 million per month (approximately USD 26,000).

Based on the new coefficient system, ministers’ salaries are expected to decrease by approximately HUF 1.5–2 million per month (USD 4,900–6,500) compared to the previous level.

In addition to salaries, the law reduces operating allowances for MPs:

• housing allowances by 31%;
• office rental allowances by 52%;
• assistants’ salaries by 30%.

Separate compensation for mobile communications and fuel expenses for MPs from Budapest will also be abolished.

The Hungarian Government also intends to address reductions in mayors’ salaries in the future.

When will something like this happen in Ukraine? And will it happen at all?

Photo source: freepik.com