The debate on the rule of law has begun: Hungary is no longer a democracy

Hungarian opposition politicians have proposed to the EU that aid to Hungary should be distributed directly to local governments or the people, bypassing the Hungarian government.

The debate on the report on the state of the rule of law in Hungary began in the European Parliament on Wednesday afternoon, Telex reports. The report, prepared by Green Party politician Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, will be voted on Thursday.

Electoral autocracy

The first version of the report was published by the French Green MEP in May 2022 and finalised in July. It states, among other things, that Hungary is steadily moving away from its core EU values, and by 2022, it can be said it is an “electoral autocracy”.

“This process also undermines the legitimacy of the European Union’s decisions based on the consensus of the 27 countries,” she said.

The report also criticises the extension of the state of emergency by the Hungarian government, the appointment of the President of the Curia, and the use of the Israeli spy programme Pegasus against journalists, activists and politicians, writes szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu.

It discusses the government’s media empire, which includes nearly 500 media outlets, the creation of KESMA and the curtailment of the autonomy of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Magyar Tudományos Akadémia) and the University of Theatre and Film (Színház- és Filmművészeti Egyetem).

Laws are adopted without public consultation

The MEP also said that it is a problem that laws and constitutional amendments are adopted without prior public consultation, or that the state interferes in local government functions. She cites the 3 April elections as an example, where there was no level playing field between the governing parties and the opposition. He also draws attention to the treatment of NGOs critical of the government and discrimination against certain minorities.

No government member takes part

Neither a member of the Hungarian government nor Viktor Orbán attended the meeting. The government says it was not invited, but the European Parliament’s media service told Telex that under the European Parliament’s internal rules, ministers from member states do not normally take part in debates, except for ministers representing the Council presidency.

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Speakers and what they said

Isabel Wiseler-Lima: Speaker Isabel Wiseler-Lima of the European People’s Party said that democratic values are being systematically violated in Hungary, a situation that is getting worse every year.

Bettina Vollath : the Austrian Social Democrat MEP said Viktor Orban sided with Russia in a speech in Romania.

Ramona Strugariu: the member of the Renew Liberal group, said: “We cannot force European citizens to finance this madness!”

Daniel Freund: the German Green MEP said that “Hungary is no longer a functioning democracy” and that “state terror is taking place”. According to Freund, European taxpayers have given Hungary EUR 30 billion, but much of it has gone into the pockets of the Orbán family and Orbán’s friends.

Balázs Hidvéghi: the member of the KDNP said in his contribution that there are more important things than the “slander campaign”. In his opinion, it is possible to negotiate and reach an agreement with Hungary, but the “fabricators of false reports” want to blackmail, not reach an agreement.

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Jean-Paul Garraud: Among the report’s opponents is Jean-Paul Garraud, a French MEP from the far-right Identity and Democracy group, who says there is a “crusade against Hungary”. He said the European Union was ignoring the fact that Fidesz had won two-thirds of the vote four times in the elections.

István Ujhelyi: In his speech, Ujhelyi said that as a “proud Hungarian” he was deeply saddened by Hungary’s situation, and spoke of “galloping inflation”, rising utility bills and a government that he said was constantly looking for scapegoats.

Katalin Cseh: In her speech, Cseh stressed that “this report will be the first document to say that Hungary is not a full democracy, and it will be painful to read”. The MEP called on the authors of the report to travel to Hungary and meet with local authorities and citizens who are suffering under the rule of “the first autocracy of the EU”.

Hungarian opposition politicians have proposed to the EU that aid to Hungary should be distributed directly to local governments or “the people”, bypassing the Hungarian government.

Read alsoOrbán won’t go to Hungary’s rule of law debate in the EP – why?

Source: Telex, szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu