What would Hungarian parties like to do in the European Parliament? – part 1

Hungarians as a whole are referred to in the European press as if they wanted to destroy the European Union. However, of course, there are several parties with different thoughts about shaping the future of the EU. Government parties see May 26 as an opportunity to take control over the European Commission and Parliament while opposition parties regard it as an important milestone in defeating government parties in the local elections this fall. We collected you the most important messages of the Hungarian parties for the next EU term. Part 1.

Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP)

2014 result: 252,751 votes, 10.9 pc, 2 seats

Politico.eu prognosis for 2019: 11 pc, 3 seats

In fact, politico.eu’s prognosis regards the current EP list with the Dialogue party which got the fourth place on the list; however, the first one belongs to MSZP party leader Bertalan Tóth who is not expected to continue his work in Brussels.

MSZP published a rather long party program in which they declare that the 2019 European Parliamentary elections should attract as many European Democrats as possible and show a red card to the Orbán-regime. Therefore, they would like to empower the EU with means

enabling Brussels to stand up for the protection of commonly agreed principles

like media freedom of checks and balances.

Instead of supporting a two-speed Europe which would push some Member States to the periphery, they say that the EU should invest in the people. For example, they would like to establish a

European minimum wage and pension,

uniform EU unemployment insurance scheme or introduce a European Labour Code. 

They would like to spend EU funds available for the 2021-2027 period on the development of the education and the health care system instead of on developing infrastructure. Moreover, the Socialist would join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) without delay and would work to introduce the euro as soon as possible in Hungary. Furthermore,

they would stop the payment of subsidies to those Member States

where the allocation of resources is not functioning properly due to the inadequate functioning of the rule of law and prosecution.

Regarding defence, they would reinforce Frontex because according to them, it is wrong to assume that the European Member States alone can respond to the challenges threatening global peace and Europe.

Finally, they stand for the autonomy of the ethnical minorities of the European Union.

Benedek Jávor, MEP of the Socialist-ally Dialogue said in an interview that Fidesz does not have a road back to the family of the moderate political parties. Therefore, the question on

May 26 is whether nationalist and populist forces can destroy the EU or not.

He highlighted that the migrant crisis was not solved by governments but by the EU itself and the relevant agreement signed with Turkey. He believes that it is a realistic goal of the Hungarian opposition to prevent Fidesz from having more MEPs than it had in 2014 (12).

Democratic Coalition (DK)

2014 result: 226,086 votes, 9.75 pc, new

Politico.eu prognosis for 2019: 8.89 pc, 2 seats.

HVG did an interview with the leader of the party’s EP list, Klára Dobrev who is the wife of party president and former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány who is the most popular candidate in Hungary with a 24 pc support. She highlighted that it is a real danger that because of PM Viktor Orbán’s policies and decisions Hungary can lose all EU allocations; therefore, she thinks that the next 1-2 years will be crucial for Hungary.

According to her, they would like to create a

European minimum wage, minimum pension and family allowance.

She stressed that these are now the most critical questions of Europe. Since German social democrats and French President Macron talk about these issues, she would like to find further allies to realise these goals. According to Dobrev, the source of such allocations would be a common European tax paid by multinational companies reaching 150-200 million EUR annually.

Talking about the sum of a possible European minimum wage and pension, the Democratic Coalition thinks that it would be different in the countries. However, the European family allowance would be uniform in each member state.

Campaigning with the plan of establishing the United States of Europe, Democratic Coalition would support initiatives binding EU funds and the acceptance of the rule of law. Furthermore, they think that

Independent bodies should distribute EU money

and thus, allocations should be given directly to the applicants.

Momentum Movement (MM)

2014 result: the party was founded in 2017

Politico.eu prognosis for 2019: 4.77 pc, 0 seats

According to Katalin Cseh, leader of the party’s EU list, said in an interview that regarding the European parliament elections she hopes that Fidesz will get fewer seats than the opposition and his party will receive at least one seat in the European Parliament. Based on politico.eu’s prognosis, this goal is not totally impossible.

Regarding her plans, she said that the essential task of the new European Parliament is to create an attractive alternative to stop the rise of populist and nationalist forces aiming to weaken Europe. She highlighted that they have to stand up against Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán and his allies.

They would like the EU to spend much

more money on healthcare, education and the rise of wages

because these are the basis of a welfare state. She would support the idea that only those EU member states should distribute EU money that respects the rule of law. In the case of those countries that go against such shared values, the EU should directly distribute the cohesion funds.

They do not support the idea of creating a United States of Europe, but they want the EU to solve massive problems like wage differences with its next budget (2021-2027). They plan to become part of the ALDE parliamentary group in the next EP term, and they believe that the

protection of the borders should be a joint EU competence.

Therefore, they would like to create a stronger Frontex, common European border protection and more effective cooperation between secret services.

Source: mszp.hu, hvg.hu, politico.eu, Daily News Hungary