Our leftists, of course, hate that they voted against their country. The only problem is that this is our country too!
442 representatives voted yes, 144 voted no and 33 abstained on the resolution against Hungary.
The resolution calls into question Hungary's suitability to take over the presidency of the EU in 2024. In addition, it lists in 24 points the objections with which, according to the board, our country violates the rule of law and fundamental rights, and refers to the freezing of EU funds against us. Although amendments from the extreme right came to the resolution, they were voted down in the end.
Adoption of the resolution does not entail legal consequences, but the case does carry a political message. Five of the seven factions of the European Parliament submitted the proposal. Together, they were the European People's Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Renew Europe, the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens(EFA)) and the Left (GUE/NGL), which made up the majority of the body.
By the way, the text states that if the Council does not find a solution to the question of the consecutive presidency, then the Parliament will take the appropriate steps, although the big question is what it can do in the matter.
A huge debate preceded the vote
The French Gwendolin Delbos-Corfield, who previously prepared a report on the Hungarian rule of law, spoke on behalf of the European Greens at the press conference before the debate. Among other things, he and his fellow shadow rapporteurs said that the council should postpone the Hungarian presidency.
As they said, the situation has not improved recently either, among the new laws, he mainly criticized the draft to change the status of teachers. The politician explained: Hungary is following Putin's path, looking for enemies even within its borders, but the Swedish Malin Björk, speaking on behalf of the United European Left, said the same when she said:
during the war in Ukraine, you cannot be the head of an EU institution that does not support Ukraine wholeheartedly.
In his opening speech, Johannes Hahn, the Budget Commissioner of the European Commission, drew attention to the fact that funds worth several billion euros were blocked from Hungary, emphasizing that public interest trust foundations cannot receive funds as long as there is a conflict of interest. Since the council's decision in December, the Commission has been in constant contact with the Hungarian government, and the pending issues have been discussed in a very specific way in almost all relevant topics.
There were several MEPs who spoke out in defense of the Hungarian government, for example Jadwiga Wisniewska, a member of the ECR and a member of the Polish PiS MEP, focused her speech on the fact that, in her opinion, the European Commission is going beyond its own competence, therefore amending they are submitting a motion which, in his opinion, would curb "politically motivated attacks and financial blackmail".
In the plenary debate, among the Hungarian representatives, Márton Gyöngyösi (Jobbik-Conservatives, independent), Balázs Hidvéghi (Fidesz, independent), Anna Donáth (Momentum, Renew), Csaba Molnár (DK, Socialists and Democrats) and György Hölvényi (KDNP, European People's Party).
Daniel Freund is very happy
The German green representative (who would otherwise be expelled from the EP with the same list composition) rejoiced on his Twitter page :
"The European Parliament supported our resolution with a large majority, which calls into question the ability of the Orbán government to organize the 2024 Council presidency.
We cannot allow an autocrat to become the head of the EU!"
Featured image: MTI/EPA/Stephanie Lecocq
