Hungarian populist Orbán will assume EU presidency while many issues are at stake

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — When Hungary takes charge of the European Union on July 1, many politicians in Brussels will have the same thing in mind: whether the populist prime minister Viktor Orbán will use the role to promote his reputation as the block’s main spoiler.

In recent years, Orbán appears to seize opportunities to block, dilute or delay important EU decisions, routinely going against the grain of most other leaders on issues such as war in Ukrainerelations with Russia It is Chinaand efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law.

From him public opposition to EU policies and positions it has long frustrated its partners in the bloc and pushed it to the margins of the continent’s mainstream. Hungary’s motto for its presidency – Make Europe Great Again – raised eyebrows for its similarity to former US President Donald Trump’s famous slogan.

The EU presidency rotates among its member countries and, although the position holds little real power, it allows countries to put their priorities at the top of Europe’s agenda.

Now, as Hungary resides in the 27-nation bloc for the next six months, it will likely maintain its anti-EU rhetoric, said Dorka Takácsy, a researcher at the Center for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy.

But the timing of her presidency – starting with a long summer break and a transition period for the formation of a new European Parliament and a new executive committee – will give Budapest few opportunities to significantly derail the bloc’s priorities, she said.

“These six months are not that long, which means that… Hungary cannot potentially do much damage, even according to critics,” Takácsy said.

As Hungary’s takeover of power approached, leaders in Brussels rushed to approve important political decisions while Belgium was still in charge. On Tuesday, for example, the E.U. launched accession negotiations with candidate countries Ukraine and Moldova.

Orbán vehemently opposed and threatened to block Ukraine’s candidacy. Your government too delayed EU efforts to supply Ukraine with badly needed funding.

However, with Ukraine’s accession process already started, Takácsy said, the most Hungary can do now under his presidency is to postpone further steps towards its EU membership, a process that, in any scenario, is likely to take many years.

“All significant measures on the European side regarding Ukraine have already been taken,” she said. “The (Hungarian) delay, according to most European leaders, is already calculated and being taken into consideration as if it were something that will probably happen. to happen.”

Orbán has long been accused of dismantling democratic institutions and violating EU rules on the rule of law, prompting the bloc’s legislature to call in May for Hungary to completely remove the presidency.

In a resolution, the EU parliament argued that democratic shortcomings raised questions about “how Hungary will be able to credibly fulfill this task in 2024”. Two years ago, the European Commission froze billions of euros in funds for Budapest during concerns about democratic setbacks for the government.

But some Hungarian officials have stressed that they plan to act constructively during their presidency. Last week, Hungarian Minister for European Affairs János Bóka told journalists that “we will be honest brokers, working loyally with all Member States and institutions”.

“Performing the functions of the presidency is our obligation, but we see it mainly as an opportunity,” said Bóka. “At the beginning of the new institutional cycle, we can start a debate and set the agenda on issues that are important to us.”

Among the issues that Hungary has prioritized in its seven-point program is the enlargement of the EU in the Western Balkans to countries such as Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania through a “merit-based” procedure.

Budapest also promised to strengthen the EU’s external borders and step up the fight against illegal immigration, and to tackle the “demographic challenges” surrounding Europe’s aging population – two priorities that reflect Orbán’s image as a staunch opponent of immigration and supporter of family values.

But after years of campaigns that portray the EU as imposing unwanted policies on Hungary – Orbán has repeatedly compared membership of the bloc to more than four decades of Soviet occupation of his country – it may have difficulty restoring goodwill among its partners. of the EU.

“The Hungarian government has used the image of Brussels as a punching bag,” said Takácsy. “Now it’s a little difficult to communicate that, during these brief six months, we are basically the Brussels that Hungary is fighting a war against and fighting for freedom against.”

With some words of advice for Orbán before Hungary takes on his role, the Belgian prime minister said the position “does not mean you are the head of Europe”.

“The presidency means that it is you who has to make the commitment,” Alexander De Croo told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. “Being in the position where you have to make the commitment is an interesting position to be in, at least once in your life, so I can definitely recommend it to Mr. Orbán.”