What would Hungarian parties like to do in the European Parliament? – part 3

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 for you the most important messages of the Hungarian parties for the next EU term. Part 3.

If you happen to have missed the first part of our analysis, click HERE and read what the Hungarian Socialists (MSZP), the Democratic Coalition (DK) or the Momentum Movement (MM) would like to stand for in the next session. If you want to read what governing party Fidesz and biggest opposition party Jobbik would like to do in Brussels and Strassburg, click HERE.

Politics Can Be Different (LMP) – the Hungarian green party

2014 result:  116,904 votes, 5.04 pc, 1 seat

Politico.eu prognosis for 2019: 3.34 pc, 0 seat

Though according to the surveys, the party will not have any MEPs in the new European Parliament, they published a detailed program about their vision of Europe. As a green party, their campaign and program are focused on creating a sustainable and green Europe emphasising that

“Europe will either be green or not at all.”

Therefore, the party’s top candidate, Gábor Vágó, always warns about the threat the ongoing climate catastrophe presents to our civilisation. LMP would answer to this threat by an EU climate protection law, by dedicating a quarter of the EU’s finances to tackling climate change, replacing discount airlines with high-speed trains by 2030 and an “Atomstop.”

Furthermore, LMP would deal with the migration crisis on a common EU basis, would run EU institutions more transparently, and they would introduce a European minimum wage proportional to each country’s GDP. They would also like Europe to switch

from consumerism to a circular economy.

Therefore, they would ban single-use plastic by 2030, and they would stand up against planned obsolescence. By 2020, they would like Europe to use renewable energy instead of coal, oil or natural gas. Interestingly, they would permit file sharing for individuals, and they also support the autonomy of the different autochtonous ethnic minorities in Europe.

Our Homeland Movement (MHM)

2014 result:  the party was founded in 2018.

Politico.eu prognosis for 2019: 1.53 pc, 0 seat

The Hungarian far-right political party was founded in Ásotthalom the previous year by the local mayor and former Jobbik Vice-President László Toroczkai, and other Jobbik dissidents that left the organisation after the party’s leadership moved away from its radical roots. In their EP program, the party emphasises that unless patriotic forces can govern the European Parliament, they would hold a referendum about Hungary’s EU membership because

there “is life outside the European Union.”

Their slogan is the following: Hungary belongs to Hungarians, Europe to Europeans.

Instead of stronger European cooperation, Our Homeland says that a European Federation should be created, “the Europe of the Nations”, in which national self-determination is entirely provided. They do not support a European minimal income or introducing the euro in Hungary, but they would restrict salary disparities in the EU. Furthermore, they would protect the Hungarian arable land and water supply in the Constitution and would give agricultural subsidy only for those who cultivate their own land.

Regarding the migration crisis, Our Homeland

would grant asylum to people fleeing warzones and insecure countries

in the first secure country. They say that border protection should remain in the hands of national governments instead of Frontex because the leaders of the EU would let migrants unchecked into Europe. Our Homeland would like to fight against all aspects of Gipsy delinquency and, according to them, the problem should be settled by strengthening the police and

supporting voluntary self-defence associations.

Two-tailed Dog Party (MKKP) – the Hungarian joke party

2014 result:  they were registered as a political party only in 2014.

Politico.eu prognosis for 2019: 3 pc, 0 seat

We wrote HERE about the party and how it became popular in Hungary in the last few years. Preparing for the EP elections, they wrote a satirical program which can be read HERE. According to their candidates, they would like to represent those people who would not give their vote to any other party. In the EP, they would like to cooperate with other satirical parties like the German Die Partei.

Thus, they expect to win 21 seats which is the aggregate number of the MEPs Hungary can send to Brussels. They would

introduce all the holidays of other European countries in Hungary,

leaving only 40-50 working days a year, and they would also make each emigrating Hungarian doctor take some of their patients with them abroad. Regarding wage differences in the EU, they would like to reduce “insultingly high foreign wages: in the UK, by 70%; in Germany, by 65%; in Austria, 75%. In Romania, by 3%.” Writing about foreign affairs, the party would keep on blocking the EU accession of Turkey until such time as they finally compensate the losses suffered by Hungary during the 150-year Ottoman occupation.

Source: mihazank.hu, ketfarkukutya.mkkp.party, lehetmas.hu