A European Parliament session intended to address Hungary’s priorities for its upcoming presidency of the European Union (EU) Council turned instead into an intense confrontation, complete with personal insults and allegations. Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, was repeatedly denounced for his close associations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his unwillingness to abide by EU commitments. European Commission President Urusla Von der Leyen was especially critical of Orbán’s foreign policy as she believed him to be opening a dangerous ‘back door for foreign interference’, notably from China and Russia. This clash came as no surprise as the EU had previously been disapproving of Hungary’s reluctance to support Ukraine; nonetheless, the intensity of the hostilities came as a big surprise.
The session, which took place on October 9th, began with an address from Orbán; after outlining Hungary’s key objectives, the Prime Minister called for a stronger EU response to the migration crisis, proclaiming himself as the ultimate border defender. His position was nevertheless condemned by Von der Leyen, the European Commission President, with her emphasis on Orbán’s controversial release of convicted traffickers. Von der Leyen highlighted the hypocrisy of Orbán’s stance: “This is not fighting illegal migration in Europe, this is just throwing problems over your neighbour’s fence”. Having been criticised for not asserting a stronger position in regards to Hungary, her statements were met with overwhelming support by the pro-European political groups.
During his speech, Orbán had also lamented the decline of Europe’s share in global trade. Von der Leyen once again refuted the Prime Minister’s claim upon highlighting the flawed economic policies of Hungary, questioning how Hungary’s taxes that target foreign companies and export restrictions would help ameliorate the EU’s economy. The European Council President went as far as to say that the EU’s economy could not be bolstered when one government was drifting away from the single market. Orbán was also condemned by his greatest rival, Péter Magyar, who professed that his leadership had converted Hungary from a bright star into the ‘poorest and most corrupt country in the EU’ (2024). These claims are substantiated, as Hungary ranks the lowest among EU members in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
Orbán’s unwillingness to end dependency on Russian fossil fuels, outlined by an EU pledge in 2022, was another cause of disagreement. Von der Leyen stated that Orbán had wrongfully blamed Ukraine for Russia’s invasion into its territory, drawing a parallel with the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. The President was also heavily critical of the visa facilitation provided by Orbán to Russian citizens, labelling it a security hazard for the entire European community, as well as raising concerns regarding the presence of Chinese patrolling in Hungarian territory. These were especially frustrating issues as Orbán went on non-approved ‘peace missions’ to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing claiming to represent the EU, even though other Members of the European Parliament (MEP) classified it as nothing more than a ‘propaganda show’ (Weber, 2024).
Criticisms directed at Orbán were not limited to Von der Leyen, as multiple MEPs came forth to denounce the Hungarian government. Perez, the leader of the Spanish Social Democrats, declared that Orbán insists that the EU is violating Hungary’s sovereignty yet the Prime Minister ‘benefits from billions of Euros that he distributes to his group of oligarchs’ (2024). Hayer, President of the French Renew Liberals, even demanded the suspension of Hungary’s voting rights in the EU Council. The frustration was also shared by Reintke, the leader of the German Greens, who declared that Orbán was no longer welcome in the session. The dissatisfaction felt by the European Left and the Greens was manifested during Orbán’s speech, in which they played the antifascist song ‘Bella Ciao’.
It must be noted, however, that the criticisms were not shared by all of the parties in the European Parliament. MEPs in the far-right parties challenged the song by clapping whilst the Hungarian Prime Minister delivered his address, with two far-right groups even pledging their loyalty to Hungary’s struggle. The position of Conservative and Reformist MEPs remained somewhat more enigmatic as they expressed their support for some of Orbán objectives, whilst also acknowledging his naivety towards Russia. Procaccini, a member of the Brothers of Italy, called out Orbán for his lack of awareness in relation to the EU’s most threatening enemy, Russia.
All in all, it can be argued that Orbán’s speech incited great controversy within the European Parliament, highlighting the deep ideological divide between Hungary and the EU. Although Orbán’s stances on migration and his connections to Russia and China drew widespread criticisms, they also were the source of right-wing support. This polarised session raises concerns for Hungary’s presidency of the European Council, as the clash between state sovereignty and EU values is likely to intensify.
Featured Image: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addresses the plenary on the priorities of the Hungarian Council Presidency © European Union 2024 – EP