MEP Gyöngyösi: Orbán, Europe’s toothless lion

Although I can’t really see how the European Parliament could get the Council to deviate so much from its decades-long practice, these kinds of resolutions nonetheless mean a huge blow to Viktor Orbán’s ambitions.

The political intention seems clear: most EU member states and their politicians are reluctant to set the stage for Orbán to propagate his illiberal, pro-Putin dreams – and they are especially afraid that Budapest’s Fidesz leadership would use the six-month rotating presidency to undermine the EU and serve Moscow’s interests. Let’s note they have a reason to think so…

However, you don’t need to upset decades-long systems to make Hungary’s presidency pass as if it never happened: all you need for the preceding Belgian and Spanish presidencies is to ignore the Fidesz government and its diplomats, not to involve them in any preliminary discussions, not to invite them to any meetings, and then lay back and watch how the totally unprepared Orbán government suffers through the six months of its EU presidency as a lame duck.

This situation clearly shows how Viktor Orbán, who was aspiring to a leading role in Europe back in 2016, has become a toothless lion in European politics by now.

He has no backers and he can do no more than make noise. Until they’ve had enough of him.

Disclaimer: the sole liability for the opinions stated rests with the author(s). These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Parliament.

• also interesting – MEP Gyöngyösi: In defence of motoring