On September 18, the European Parliament will once again try to put the Hungarian Prime Minister to the test: this time, they initiated a debate about Hungary's ineligibility for the EU presidency.
In a terse statement, the European Parliament indicates that on September 18, Wednesday morning, another plenary debate on the state of Hungarian democracy will take place, this time on the topic of the Hungarian EU presidency.
The declaration describes the priorities of the six-month Hungarian program:
improving competitiveness, rethinking the European security policy, implementing enlargement based on merit-based conditions, preventing illegal immigration, revising the EU cohesion policy, changing the common agricultural policy to a farmer-centered approach, and responding to demographic challenges.
The EP preview notes that in the previous EU cycle between 2019 and 2024, the EP repeatedly warned the Hungarian government that
stop the "deliberate and systematic undermining of the EU's core values"
and endangering the institutions and foundations of the EU. As the text continues, the EP has serious reservations about whether the Orbán government is able to credibly carry out the six-month presidency, because despite the warnings and procedures, the state of democracy continues to deteriorate.
A tense debate similar to previous Orbán speeches can be expected in the European Parliament.
On the one hand, factions have formed since July, including a new sovereignist force, the Patriots for Europe, also patronized by Orbán, Ursula von der Leyen has again become the president of the European Commission for the next EU term, the Hungarian presidency has been subject to harsh criticism since it started on July 1st, especially due to the Orbán peace mission carried out at the same time as the departure, and on September 17, the day before the plenary, Von der Leyen is scheduled to announce the members of the new Commission, the commissioners, and at the latest
it will be revealed whether the EC President fulfilled the request of the Hungarian Prime Minister that Olivér Várhelyi could keep the expansion portfolio in the board.
The Hungarian Prime Minister's speech introducing the EU presidency was postponed from mid-summer to September due to timing problems.
Cover photo: Facebook/Viktor Orbán
