Improve the legal climate by addressing SLAPPs and aligning with GDPR/Anti-SLAPP EU directives, including dropping politically motivated charges.

Systematically reform public media to restore editorial independence and align with public service objectives, reducing government propaganda influence.

Ensure accountability for spyware surveillance of journalists, with transparency and consequences for abuses of state security exemptions.

The plan outlines 10 priority steps to reform Hungary’s media landscape, including abolishing the Sovereignty Protection Office, ending state-sponsored smear campaigns against journalists, and safeguarding journalists from unlawful surveillance while implementing PEGA recommendations.

Current concerns note that Hungary’s media is heavily dominated by the ruling party, with estimates of about 80% market control, raising alarms about democratic norms and independence.

Reform state advertising to ensure fair, transparent distribution of public funds and avoid pro-government bias in media funding.

Regenerate media pluralism by curbing concentration and addressing domination of pro-government outlets and skew in local coverage.

Overhaul the media regulatory system to depoliticize regulators (NMHH and the Media Council) and ensure independent, fair licensing and decisions.

Acknowledge systemic issues like accreditation barriers, reporting access restrictions at public institutions, and past use of Pegasus spyware, benchmarking reforms against ECtHR judgments and EU recommendations.

Publicinterest groups frame these steps as essential to restoring democratic norms and the watchdog role of the press, calling for urgent action from the next government.

Establish an independent, multistakeholder task force to drive media reform aligned with EU standards, using the European Media Freedom Act as a framework.

International bodies have outlined priority areas for democratic media reform in Hungary, stressing EU-aligned reforms to restore pluralism and independence ahead of the April 2026 elections.