Thursday

28th Sep 2023

Hungary turned into 'hybrid regime', MEPs say

  • French Green MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield has been leading European Parliament scrutiny of Hungary (Photo: European Parliament)
Listen to article

Hungary has turned into a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy", a draft report by a European Parliament committee states.

The draft report presented in the civil liberties committee by French Green MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Countries are described as hybrid regimes when they combine democratic traits, such as elections, with autocratic ones, such as abuse of state power.

The report is an update to the parliament's 2018 report which triggered the Article 7 procedure against Hungary, a sanctions probe aiming to rein in member states that break EU rules and values.

MEPs aim to push the EU Council of member states to assert — which does not need unanimity among the EU governments — that Hungary risks breaching EU values, and set out recommendations to Hungary.

Since 2018, the council has only organised three hearings on Hungary, which the MEPs say is too little and too slow.

"Any further delay to such action would amount to a breach of the rule of law principle by the council itself," the draft report said.

The draft report "regrets" that the "lack of decisive EU action has contributed to turning Hungary into a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy".

The draft says that for several years the situation in Hungary has not been addressed, many concerns remain, and new issues have come up as well.

"Things have been getting worse," leftwing Swedish MEP Malin Björk said, adding that "there is a view [in Hungary] that what the majority wants, per definition is democratic."

She added, the EU needs to do more, "otherwise we will have a spreading effect."

German Social Democrat MEP Katarina Barley also reiterated that democracy is not a dictatorship of the majority.

"What makes democracy special, is that still the minority has its rights and is being protected, that is what in Hungary is deteriorating faster and faster, and what we have to fight against," she added.

The report is expected to be voted on by MEPs in the committee in July.

MEPs urge EU not to relax policing rule-of-law amid war

European lawmakers debated the lack of progress in the EU sanctions probe against Poland and Hungary, and warned Russia's invasion of Ukraine should not be a reason to turn away from rule-breaking within the bloc.

EU starts unprecedented rule-of-law probe against Hungary

The so-called conditionality mechanism has been invoked, for the first time in EU history, over long-standing concerns of corruption, amid allegations Viktor Orbán's allies syphoned off EU money, and over how Budapest ignored commission concerns.

MEPs urge EU states, commission to act now on Hungary

European lawmakers urged the EU Commission and governments to act on Hungary after the EU executive said it would start a legal probe against the Orbán government which could lead to the suspension of EU funds.

Opinion

Are Orban's Covid powers now the 'new normal' in Hungary?

As the world continues to seek productive ways to provide assistance to the beleaguered citizens of Ukraine, the Hungarian government is now using the humanitarian crisis to further its own authoritarian ambitions.

Opinion

Orbán's overtures to Moscow are distasteful and detrimental

Some Western European politicians are reviving the chimera of a negotiated settlement. None of this makes the current, half-hearted approach towards sanctioning Russia look better — nor does it shed any favourable light on the cravenness of Hungary's current government.

Opinion

Orbán's 'revenge law' is an Orwellian crackdown on education

On Tuesday, the Hungarian parliament passed a troubling piece of legislation known by its critics as the 'revenge law', which aims to punish and intimidate teachers who dare to defy Viktor Orbán's regime. This law is a brutally oppressive tool.

Latest News

  1. Poland's culture of fear after three years of abortion 'ban'
  2. Time for a reset: EU regional funding needs overhauling
  3. Germany tightens police checks on Czech and Polish border
  4. EU Ombudsman warns of 'new normal' of crisis decision-making
  5. How do you make embarrassing EU documents 'disappear'?
  6. Resurgent Fico hopes for Slovak comeback at Saturday's election
  7. EU and US urge Azerbijan to allow aid access to Armenians
  8. EU warns of Russian 'mass manipulation' as elections loom

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us