STRASBOURG — In a decisive vote on Thursday at the European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) called on the EU Council to consider the possibility of revoking Hungary’s EU voting rights, intensifying a clash with Budapest over concerns related to the rule of law. The majority of MEPs supported a nonbinding resolution, urging the governments of the other 26 EU countries to use a sub-clause in the EU treaties to assess whether Hungary has engaged in serious and persistent breaches of EU values.
This development marks the latest episode in an ongoing confrontation between the European Parliament and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his self-styled “illiberal” leadership. Orbán is accused of disregarding democratic principles and undermining the independence of the judicial system. The dispute has also led to a hold on fresh EU funding for Ukraine.
Hungarian liberal lawmaker Katalin Cseh emphasized the significance of defending the rule of law within the EU, stating, “This House shows that we are serious when it comes to defending the rule of law in our Union and that we are not afraid of Prime Minister Orbán’s blackmailing attempts. The Commission will now have to face the consequences for selling out our EU values.”
Orbán, in response, accused MEPs of attempting to “strip people of their rights to make decisions on their future,” characterizing their position as anti-democratic.
While the MEPs’ move carries no legal weight, it sends a clear political message to other EU institutions regarding the level of dissatisfaction with Orbán’s perceived erosion of the rule of law. A petition calling for similar measures had already garnered support from 120 MEPs.
This development precedes an upcoming EU leaders’ summit in February, where the Commission and EU countries aim to persuade Hungary to reverse its opposition to releasing EU funding for Ukraine.
MEPs also called for an examination of the possibility of taking the European Commission to the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding its decision to unfreeze approximately €10 billion for Hungary. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the move, prompting a debate that led to the Parliament’s legal affairs committee considering the feasibility of launching legal proceedings against the Commission.
Despite tensions, MEPs did not endorse a proposal by the liberal Renew Europe group to threaten a vote of no confidence in the European Commission if additional funds were unfrozen for Hungary, which currently amounts to around €20 billion of EU funds. A motion of censure against von der Leyen failed to gain sufficient support, with the center-right EPP group opposing it.
The final vote on the resolution saw 345 MEPs in favor, 104 against, and 29 abstaining.