The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, moved from words to deeds on Wednesday 3 March, announcing that the 12 MEPs from the ruling Fidesz party in Hungary will leave the EPP group in the European Parliament.
The leader wrote on this subject to the head of the Christian Democrat group, German Manfred Weber, after the adoption of new internal rules of procedure by members of the EPP group that very morning.
This is a “hostile” step against voters from Fidesz, the Hungarian Prime Minister said.
Adopted by 148 votes (84.1% of the voters) against 28 (15.9%) and 4 abstentions, these new internal rules facilitate the suspension of a delegation of MEPs and bring the EPP group into line with a similar decision already taken by the European People’s Party, which is the case of Fidesz.
Referring to a “sad day”, Manfred Weber said he regretted the loss of colleagues. I worked to “build bridges” in the group, but “it wasn’t strong enough”, he said.
However, the leader of the EPP group welcomed the “unity of the group”, which approved the new rules by a large majority. These rules were very likely to lead to a request for the suspension of the elected representatives from Fidesz at an upcoming meeting. The Spaniard Esteban González Pons also spoke of a “sad day”, but he welcomed the fact that this departure clarifies the group’s position.
Criticising the blackmailing of the group for not adopting these rules, he considered that the Hungarian Prime Minister “(had) forced us to answer three questions: are we masters of our decisions? Can it divide us? Are we a centre-right European party or not?”. “I believe that Viktor Orbán has provided a very clear answer to these questions”, said González Pons, satisfied that the choice made was one of “unity against division, moderation against radicalisation, and compromise rather than intolerance”.
The Spaniard also stressed that these rules and a possible suspension would not have called into question the status of Fidesz’s elected representatives. Even outside the EPP group, they should also retain their titles as Vice-Presidents in Parliament.
After this departure, the question now arises for the EPP party. Will Viktor Orbán also leave his political family?
In a press release, the party took note of this departure and recalled that a procedure for Fidesz’s exclusion is still on the table. A decision can only be taken when the public health conditions allow this meeting, added the EPP, which has already suspended Fidesz.
For Manfred Weber, it is clear that the Hungarian party no longer adheres to the founding values of the Christian Democrats, those of “Robert Schuman, De Gaspery, Kohl, and Adenauer”. They have “moved away from the EPP, not us”, said the German.
The quarrel over the link between respect for the Rule of law and the disbursement of European funds has only served to accentuate a malaise born from the migration issue and the campaigns against previous Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (see EUROPE 12625/22).
In the European Parliament, some elected representatives expressed their relief to see the EPP group break with Fidesz. Others, such as those of the sovereignist ECR group, have shown their support, opening the door to a possible rapprochement. The 12 Fidesz MEPs have not yet said whether they will join another group.
For Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Greens/EFA, France), the “departure of the Fidesz MEPs from the EPP was necessary and too late. For too long, their membership in the EPP made it possible to legitimise Viktor Orbán’s authoritarian political project and to protect the Hungarian government. We hope that from now on the EPP will stand by our side to defend the Rule of law and European democracy”. “The passivity and weakness of the EU Member States in the face of the actions and violations of the Rule of law by the Hungarian government are equally worrying”, the MEP responsible in Parliament for the so-called ‘Article 7’ procedure against Hungary also said. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)