Keystone-SDA
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October 9, 2024 – 12:40
(Keystone-ATS) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called for “change” in the European Union on Wednesday, during a speech at the European Parliament where he was greeted by protests against democratic setbacks in his country.
The nationalist leader came to Strasbourg to present the priorities of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, awarded to Hungary until the end of December.
“The European Union needs to change” and the Hungarian presidency “wants to be the catalyst for this change,” he told MEPs.
Before his intervention in the hemicycle, left-wing deputies displayed their opposition. “No money for corruption”, could be read on a sign brandished by the radical left, in reference to European funds intended for Hungary, and partially frozen for reasons of the rule of law.
The social democrats, for their part, held up “Democrats against autocrats” signs.
At the end of his speech, the anti-fascist song Bella Ciao was briefly sung in part of the hemicycle before a reframing by the President of Parliament Roberta Metsola. “It’s not Eurovision,” said the Maltese.
Muzzled opposition
On Tuesday, in front of the press in Strasbourg, Viktor Orban raged against the “European elites of the left and center”, displaying his closeness to Donald Trump or pleading for a “new strategy” on Ukraine by communicating “directly” with Moscow .
Since his return to the head of the country in 2010, Viktor Orban has strengthened his grip on power while restricting the rights of oppositions, clashing several times with Brussels on questions of migration and the rule of law.
In July, the European Commission found in a report that Hungary did not meet EU democratic standards, notably on corruption, political financing, conflicts of interest and media independence.
Latest episode in the conflict between Budapest and Brussels, the Commission announced on Thursday that it would refer the matter to European justice regarding the Hungarian law on “sovereignty”, which NGOs consider to be a new offensive to muzzle the counter-powers.
