In a letter sent on Thursday 9 April to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Commissioner for Justice and Rule of Law, Michael McGrath, five MEPs - all of them rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs of the interim report on the ‘Article 7’ procedure of the Treaty against Hungary - expressed their concern about the integrity of the Hungarian parliamentary elections, scheduled for Sunday 12 April (see EUROPE 13845/1 and EUROPE 13845/2).
In their view, recent developments in the country cast doubt on the possibility of these elections being held in “a genuinely free and fair electoral environment”.
In particular, they cite the documented danger of Russian interference in the electoral process, as well as the threats against the journalist behind several revelations on the subject, and the attempts to buy votes and intimidate certain voters.
The elected representatives insist that the post-election period will be just as crucial. According to rapporteur Tineke Strik (Greens/EFA, Dutch), the Commission must be able to assess whether the elections are free and fair, document any manipulation, and not hesitate to use the instruments available, in particular the European Centre for Democratic Resilience.
“Even if the Tisza Party wins, Orbán will remain in office for some time and there is a risk that he will take action to maintain his influence,” she fears.
As of 9 April, the latest polls showed the Tisza party ahead of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/lhg (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)