The European Parliament (EP) is set to discuss next week whether to lift the immunity from prosecution of Italian MEP Ilaria Salis, meaning she could face trial in Hungary for violent attacks committed in Budapest.
Salis was arrested in February 2023 for participating in assaults against innocent civilians organised by the Hammerbande (‘Hammer Gang’), a far-left group linked to Antifa. She spent over a year in Hungarian detention and faces an 11-year sentence if prosecutors’ demands are upheld.
After being elected as an MEP, Salis gained legal immunity and was released from detention—a move orchestrated by Italy’s Greens and Left Alliance. Since her election, she has repeatedly attacked the Hungarian government, portraying herself as a victim while minimizing her own violent actions.
In a recent social media post, she wrote
The Committee will express its opinion, and then, likely on October 7 in Strasbourg, the plenary will decide by a simple majority vote. My fate will be played out in that chamber. The game is on.
Next Tuesday, the EP’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) is expected to recommend lifting her immunity, before passing the matter to the plenary for a final decision.
Within the JURI committee, both the European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) support lifting her immunity, emphasizing procedural fairness over political considerations.
Even if the committee’s recommendation is approved, the plenary will have the final say.
Hungary will continue to defend its judicial system and expects the EP to allow Salis to face trial, sending a clear message that criminal acts—even by the ‘Hammer Girl’ (now 41)—cannot be shielded by political office.
