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In President-elect Trump, these ascendant insurgents across the pond see a key ally, someone who shares their mix of authoritarianism, populism and extreme hostility to immigration. “We have big plans for the future!” posted Hungary’s Prime Minister Vikor Orbán, an influential Trump friend and ally, calling it “a much needed victory for the World!”Orban visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida earlier this year. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at an EU Summit in Budapest on Friday. The AfD is an anti-immigration, anti-Muslim political party that is being monitored by the country’s domestic intelligence agency for suspected extremism — something it denies. Argentina’s far right, libertarian president, Javier Milei, told Trump he could “count on Argentina to carry out your task.” And Israel’s ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reacted with a “Yesssss.”

Persons: Donald Trump’s, ”, Vikor Orbán, Trump, ” Orban, András, “, László, aren’t, Viktor Orban, Petr David Josek, Geert Wilders, Giorgia Meloni, Alice Weidel, Stefan Keuter, Christoph Reichwein, Siegbert Droese, ” Stefan Keuter, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Keuter, “ Trump, Javier Milei, Itamar Ben, Gvir Organizations: Trump, Hungary’s, Fidesz, NBC, EU, Washington, WIN, Getty, NBC News, Young Republicans, Nazi, National Locations: Lago, Florida, Budapest, Netherlands, Italy, Washington, Rome, Germany, Essen , Germany, Ukraine, Europe, Argentina

☆ Austria’s far-right is the frontrunner for Sunday’s elections. How did it get here?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-28 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The FPÖ is known as the grandfather of European far-right parties and pedals an anti-migrant, anti-Islam, Eurosceptic and anti-vaxx agenda. It has held power at a federal level three times, in coalition with other groupings, making it one of just a few far-right parties in Europe to have done so. AFP/Getty ImagesIts political stance changed again when Jörg Haider – the son of former Nazi party members – became leader of the party in 1986. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl speaks to supporters ahead of European parliamentary elections on June 7. According to Reinhard, the FPÖ is more likely to form a government if it comes second than if it comes first.

Persons: –, ” Benjamin Biard, FPÖ, ” Biard, “, ”, Biard, Heinz, Christian Strache, Jörg Haider –, Haider, ’, Herbert Kickl, Taylor, “ remigration, Christian Bruna, Viktor Orban –, Vladimir Putin’s, Kickl, ” Heinisch Reinhardt, Reinhardt, Karl Nehammer, Thomas Kronsteiner, Reinhard, ” Reinhard Organizations: CNN, Party, Italian Lega, Dutch Party for Freedom, “, Getty, Nazi, Austrian People’s Party, EU, Hungary’s Fidesz, Greens, University of Salzburg, Social Democrats Locations: Austria, Europe, Brussels, Flemish, Italian, Germany, Nazi, Austrian, Salzburg, AFP, Ukraine, Vienna, Lower Austria, Russia, loggerheads, ÖVP

☆ A European leader's top aide suggested his country wouldn't have resisted if Russia had invaded it
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An aide to the Hungarian PM was criticized after suggesting Hungary wouldn't have resisted a Russian invasion. He referred back to a 1956 uprising in Budapest, which the Soviet Union brutally repressed. He said it was "irresponsible" to resist, citing the number of dead in the Ukraine war. He said this was because Hungary had tried and failed to resist the Soviet Union in 1956. Viktor Orbán is Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the European Union, a position that has put him strongly out of favor in the bloc.

Persons: Hungary wouldn't, —, Viktor Orbán, Balázs Orbán, Zelenskyy, Hungary —, Vladimir Putin's, Donald Trump, Putin, Trump Organizations: PM, Soviet Union, Service, Politico, European Union, Fidesz Locations: Hungary, Russian, Budapest, Ukraine, Hungarian, Soviet Union, Russia

☆ Here’s what we learned from the European elections as a far-right surge upends national politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Far-right parties across the continent had strong showings, but their momentum did not cause the center ground of European politics to cave in – as many had predicted. Those gains did materialize; far-right groups were expected to secure a record number of seats in the European Parliament, dealing a major blow to the continent’s establishment leaders. Most of the far-right gains were concentrated in countries that elect large numbers of seats: France, Italy and Germany. Several other far-right parties are among the non-aligned (NI) group, predicted to secure 45 seats. The center holdsDespite a far-right surge, the centrist European People’s Party (EPP) was the biggest single winner on Sunday night.

Persons: –, Maximilian Krah, Ursula von der Leyen, ”, Von der Leyen, ” Von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le, ” Macron, Marion Maréchal, Jordan Bardella, Alexander De Croo, ” De Croo, Meloni, Tusk, Giorgia Meloni, Brothers, Benito Mussolini, von der Leyen, Donald Tusk’s, Viktor Orbán, Bas Organizations: CNN, Green, Nazi, European People’s Party, EPP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists, Commission, Ukraine, Marine, Assembly, French, Ministry, Italy’s, Italy, Law and Justice, PiS, European, Fidesz, Greens, Bas Eickhout, EFA, European Green Party, European Commission Locations: –, France, Europe, Italy, Germany, Brussels, France’s, “, Ukraine, Poland

☆ In Budapest, Xi Hails a ‘Deep Friendship’ With Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Xi Jinping of China on Thursday found another safe zone in a continent increasingly wary of his country, meeting in Budapest with the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, the European Union’s perennial odd-man-out as a vocal supporter of warm relations with both China and Russia. As happened at his previous stop in Serbia, Mr. Xi received a rapturous welcome and was spared from protesters, with his motorcade from the airport on Wednesday evening taking a roundabout route into the Hungarian capital, avoiding Tibetan protesters. Police banned a protest planned for Thursday in the center of Budapest and a large Tibetan flag that had been hoisted on a hill overlooking the venue of a welcome reception was covered with a Chinese one. In an article in Magyar Nemzet, which is controlled by Mr. Orban’s governing Fidesz party, Mr. Xi gushed about his “deep friendship” with Hungarian leaders and described Hungary as a trusted “traveling companion” on what he called a “golden voyage” that had taken relations to their “best period of history.” Hungary, he noted, was “the No. 1 target in the central Eastern European region for Chinese investment.”

Persons: Xi Jinping, Viktor Orban, Xi, Orban’s, Xi gushed, ” Organizations: Police, Fidesz, ” Locations: China, Budapest, Russia, Serbia, Magyar, Hungary, ” Hungary

☆ Hungary’s Orban, a long-time Trump ally, rocked by major scandals ahead of European elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives to attend a European Council summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 21, 2024. Sameer Al-doumy | Afp | Getty ImagesHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has run into political trouble ahead of European parliamentary elections in June, with his ruling party shaken by two political scandals within six weeks. Orban is a long-time ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump and widely seen as Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest supporter in the European Union. The right-wing leader has led the central European country since 2010, making him the EU's longest-serving head of state. Yet two major scandals have recently rocked his dominance of Budapest's political landscape at a sensitive time when Hungary is poised to hold both local and European elections in early June.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Sameer Al, Orban, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin's, Peter Magyar, Janos Kummer, Zsuzsanna Vegh, Vegh, Magyar, Judit Varga —, Katalin Novak, Novak, Varga, William Shakespeare Organizations: Hungary's, EU, Afp, Getty, Hungarian, European Union, Eurasia Group, Fidesz, German Marshall Fund of, CNBC, Facebook, YouTube, Reuters, Lawyer Locations: Brussels, doumy, Hungary, Budapest, United States, Hungarian

☆ Ego, Putin or Jets? Reasons for Orban’s Stance on Sweden Perplex Many.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It took 19 months of broken promises and belligerent rhetoric for Hungary to finally ratify Sweden’s entry into NATO. Why all the foot-dragging, many observers wondered, when Hungary was going to approve the Nordic country’s membership of the military alliance anyway? That question has perplexed even members of Hungary’s governing party, Fidesz, according to Peter Ungar, an opposition legislator. He said he had been approached by one Fidesz lawmaker, in the run-up to Monday’s vote in Parliament to accept NATO’s expansion, and asked: “‘What the hell is going on with Sweden?’”That a member of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s governing party would seek an explanation from a rival politician is a measure of how puzzled even allies of the Hungarian leader, never mind his opponents, became over their country delaying NATO’s expansion.

Persons: Peter Ungar, Viktor Orban’s Organizations: NATO, Nordic, Fidesz Locations: Hungary, Sweden

☆ Hungary’s Parliament Approves Sweden’s NATO Bid After Stalling
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Hungary’s Parliament voted on Monday to approve Sweden as a new member of NATO, allowing the Nordic country to clear a final hurdle that had blocked its membership and held up efforts by the military alliance to isolate Russia over its war in Ukraine. The measure passed after a vote of 188 for and only 6 against in the 199-member Parliament, which is dominated by legislators from the governing Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. On Friday, after his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, made a visit to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, Mr. Orban declared the end of a monthslong spat with Sweden over its membership of NATO. Hungary had been stalling for 19 months on ratifying Sweden’s admission, a delay that had puzzled and exasperated the United States and other members of the alliance, raising questions about Hungary’s reliability as a member of the alliance.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Ulf Kristersson, Orban Organizations: NATO, Nordic, Fidesz Locations: Sweden, Russia, Ukraine, Budapest, Hungary, United States

☆ Child abuse scandal rattles Orban’s image as defender of ‘family values’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Orban has long posed as a globetrotting defender of Christian values and an enemy of liberalism. But Orban’s critics say his carefully constructed image is a thin guise for a plutocratic mode of governance designed to enrich a small group of oligarchs. The scandal could also weaken Hungary’s bid to gain more influence in Brussels in the upcoming European elections. Since the scandal was revealed last weekend by Hungarian news site 444.hu, “Orban has not made an appearance or said anything. Critics argue that Orban’s proposed constitutional solution to the scandal is a symptom of his autocratic mode of governance.

Persons: CNN —, Viktor Orban, Katalin Novak, Orban’s, ”, Judit Varga, Fidesz party’s, Varga, Orban, Hungary’s, “ Orban, Kim Lane Scheppele, Attila Kisbendek, Peter Magyar, “, ” Magyar, Magyar, Hungary ”, ” Orban, Critics, ” Scheppele, Hungary –, Bernadett Szabo, Scheppele, ‘, illiberal, ’ ”, Pope Francis, Eva Fodor, Fodor, Attila Kisbenedek, Zoltan Balog, Balog, hasn’t, Mark Rutte, Europe’s, he’s Organizations: CNN, CNN — Hungary’s, Fidesz, European Union, Princeton University, Partizan, State of, Reuters, Survey, Christian, Central European University, Getty Locations: Washington, Moscow, Brussels, Budapest, AFP, Varga’s, Hungary, State, Christian Europe, China, Venezuela, ”, Netherlands

☆ Hungary can ratify Sweden’s NATO bid as soon as Feb 26, Orban says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Hungary can ratify Sweden’s NATO bid as soon as February 26 when the country’s parliament reconvenes, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Saturday. “We are going in the direction that, at the start of parliament’s spring session, we can ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO.”According to the Hungarian government’s website, the parliament reconvenes for its spring session on February 26. Hungary is the last NATO member to approve Sweden’s accession to the military alliance. Last June, Orban’s party Fidesz told CNN that it expected Sweden to “allay its concerns” before the vote on Sweden’s accession to NATO. Finland joined NATO in April 2023 – doubling the alliance’s border with Russia – but Sweden’s bid was mired in challenges.

Persons: reconvenes, Viktor Orban, ” Orban, Orban’s, Orban, Jens Stoltenberg, “, Vladimir Putin, Katalin Organizations: CNN, NATO, Swedish, Fidesz, ”, Russia, European Union Locations: Hungary, Sweden, ” Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Russia, Hungarian, Turkey

☆ Hungarian president Novak resigns over sex abuse case pardon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigned on Saturday after coming under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted of helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children's home. Novak, a close ally of conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban, resigned a week after her presidential pardon was first reported by local news site 444.hu. The revelation caused a public uproar and demands from the opposition for her and former Justice Minister Judit Varga to quit. Varga, who has been a rising star in Orban's ruling Fidesz party, resigned as a lawmaker on Saturday. This has been one of several issues over which Orban has clashed with the European Commission.

Persons: Katalin Novak, Novak, Viktor Orban, Judit Varga, Varga, Orban's, Orban Organizations: Fidesz, European Commission

☆ Hungary's President Under Pressure to Quit Over Pardon in Sex Abuse Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian opposition parties have demanded the resignation of the president over her decision to pardon a man convicted as an accomplice in helping cover up a case in a children's home whose director sexually abused children. She added that the reasoning behind her decision was not public and all pardons were divisive by their nature. The former director was sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually abusing several under-age boys in 2004-2016. "I am baffled by Katalin Novak's decision as a human being and as a mother," Momentum chair Anna Donath said in a statement on Wednesday, adding she believed the decision was "morally incomprehensible". Some of the opposition and civilians called a protest in front of Novak's presidential office for Friday.

Persons: Katalin, Pope Francis, Novak, Viktor Orban, paedophiles, MTI, Anna Donath, Orban's, Judit Varga, Krisztina, Alison Williams Organizations: Democratic Coalition, Socialists Locations: BUDAPEST

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that he and his NATO counterparts cautioned Hungary on Wednesday against further delaying Sweden’s membership in the military alliance, and he warned that patience in Washington has its limits. The governing Fidesz party, which holds an absolute majority in Hungary's parliament, has stalled Sweden’s bid since July 2022, alleging that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the state of Hungarian democracy. The party insists that Sweden’s prime minister must come to Hungary first. The country, along with the other 30 allies, must all agree that Sweden should stand among NATO’s ranks. Hungary is the only member standing in its way.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s, “, ” Sullivan, Sullivan, ”, Orbán, Ulf Kristersson Organizations: —, NATO, Wednesday, Fidesz, Sweden’s, Kremlin, Swedish Locations: BRUSSELS, Hungary, Washington, Hungarian, Hungary's, Sweden, Brussels, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, U.S, Budapest

☆ EU tells Hungary its 'sovereignty' law violates EU law
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hungary's new law on "protecting national sovereignty", which the ruling Fidesz party said was necessary to protect against foreign political interference, violates European Union law, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The Hungarian legislation violates EU laws on democracy and the equal rights of EU citizens, the data protection law and several rules applicable to the internal market, the Commission said. The legislation came as nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has clashed repeatedly with the European Union over democratic rights in Hungary, stepped up his party's campaign ahead of European Parliament elections next June. Under the law, a separate authority to explore and monitor risks of political interference will be set up. If it does not address the grievances stated in the letter, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion - a formal request to comply with EU law - as a next step in the procedure.

Persons: Viktor Orban Organizations: Union, European Commission, European Union Locations: Hungary, Hungarian

The governing Fidesz party, which holds an absolute majority in parliament, has stalled Sweden’s bid since July 2022, alleging that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy. “The prime minister pledged to convene parliament to urge parliament to act at its earliest opportunity. Kristersson has said that he will make the trip, but only after Hungary approves his country's NATO membership. But Vadai, the lawmaker, said that there was no guarantee that Orbán's party would commit to a swift approval. “I’m not sure whether the opening session will start with the Swedish ratification, unfortunately,” she said.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Hungary's, Orbán, Jens Stoltenberg, ”, didn't, David Pressman, Pressman, expeditiously, Sen, Ben Cardin, Agnes Vadai, “, it’s, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, “ I’m Organizations: — Lawmakers, NATO, Fidesz, U.S, Maryland Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, ”, Democratic Coalition, Associated Press, Swedish Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Hungarian, United States, NATO, U.S, Maryland, Budapest, Swedish, Hungary's

☆ Hungarian Opposition Seeks Extraordinary Session of Parliament on Sweden NATO Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Boldizsar GyoriBUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian opposition parties submitted a motion on Monday calling for an extraordinary session of parliament on Feb. 5 to ratify Sweden's application to join NATO. Hungary is the only country in the 31-member Atlantic alliance yet to ratify Sweden's application. Turkey completed its approval last week, some 20 months after Stockholm applied to join NATO following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But parliamentary speaker Laszlo Kover said there was no urgency for any extraordinary move to ratify Sweden's NATO accession and suggested that opposition attempts at an extra session would be likely to fail. Hungary's parliament is not currently in session, but NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said last Friday he expected the assembly to ratify Sweden's accession at the end of February after it reconvenes.

Persons: Zita Gurmai, Gurmai, Viktor Orban, Vladimir Putin, Laszlo Kover, Jens Stoltenberg, Orban, Boldizsar Gyori, Jason Hovet, Timothy Heritage Organizations: Gyori, NATO, Atlantic, Reuters, Fidesz, Christian Democrat, Sweden's, Union Locations: Gyori BUDAPEST, Hungary, Turkey, Stockholm, Ukraine, Hungarian, Brussels

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — With Turkey completing its ratification of Sweden's bid to join NATO, Hungary is the last member of the military alliance not to have given its approval. Orbán has long promised that Hungary wouldn't be the last NATO member to ratify Sweden's request to join the alliance. Yet Orbán's critics say that there is no such schism within his party, and that when it comes to Hungary's approval of Sweden's NATO membership, Orbán alone is in control. Hungary's opposition parties, which favor Sweden's membership in NATO, have made several attempts over the past year to schedule a vote on the matter. “Anybody who believed that it’s in the hands of the governing party lawmakers was seriously mistaken,” she said.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Hungary wouldn't, —, Agnes Vadai, parliament's, It’s, ”, he'd, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson hasn't, Tobias Billström, Budapest hasn't, he’d, Jens Stoltenberg, Dorka, Kristersson, “, ” Vadai, Vladimir Putin, Vadai, Orbán's Organizations: —, Turkey, NATO, Central European, Fidesz, European Union, Democratic Coalition, Ministry of Defense, Hungary, Centre, Integration Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Sweden, Turkey, Stockholm, Swedish, Ukraine, NATO

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Sweden's accession into the NATO military alliance, Orbán wrote Tuesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The invitation comes as Hungary and Turkey remain the only NATO members not to have ratified Sweden's bid to join the alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lifted his opposition to Sweden's membership last year in response to efforts by Stockholm to tackle supporters of Kurdish militants and other groups in Sweden that Ankara views as security threats. Erdogan has also openly linked Sweden’s NATO membership to Ankara’s efforts to purchase U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, and has called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey. Sweden and Finland abandoned their decades-long neutrality and sought membership in NATO amid heightened security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Ulf Kristersson, Orbán, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan Organizations: NATO, Twitter, Sweden's, Nordic, Fidesz Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Hungarian, Budapest, Turkey, Ankara, Ukraine, Orbán, Turkish, Stockholm, Sweden, Canada, Finland

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Hungary's capital in December, his second trip to Budapest this year at a time when both countries remain the only NATO members not to have ratified Sweden's accession into the trans-Atlantic military alliance. It wasn't clear whether Erdogan and Orbán would discuss Sweden's NATO membership, which has been delayed for more than a year by Hungary and Turkey. Erdogan's government has delayed Sweden's ratification over accusations that Stockholm is too soft on Kurdish militants and other groups Turkey considers to be security threats. Finland became a NATO member in April after Turkey and Hungary were the last two members of the alliance to ratify the Nordic nation’s accession. Orbán's government has alleged that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy, but hasn't given specific conditions for approving Sweden's accession.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Bertalan Havasi, Viktor Orbán, Havasi didn't, Orbán, Hungary's, “, ___ Suzan Fraser Organizations: NATO, Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council, Hungarian, ATV, Associated Press, Fidesz, Sweden’s Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Hungarian, Turkey, Stockholm, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, “, Ankara

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A countrywide billboard campaign that flooded the streets of Hungary this week takes aim at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the start of an election campaign that marks an escalation of tensions between the country's nationalist conservative government and the European Union. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has long taken an adversarial approach to the 27-nation bloc. He has accused Brussels of seeking to impose unwanted policies on Hungary, and compared membership in the EU to the 40 years of Soviet domination Hungary experienced in the 20th century. “This national consultation is by far the most anti-EU document that the government has released so far," Kreko said. But after more than two years and little apparent progress, the anti-EU campaign may show that Orbán has given up on unblocking them, said Dorka Takacsy, a research fellow at the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Alex Soros, George Soros, “, Viktor Orbán, von, Leyen, Peter Kreko, Kreko, Dorka Takacsy, ” Takacsy, ” It’s, Soros, Jean, Claude Juncker, ”, Orbán, Eric Mamer, ” Mamer Organizations: European Union, Ukraine, EU, Centre, Integration, Democracy, European, Kreko, Huxit, Fidesz, Orbán Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, American, Hungarian, Brussels, EU, Budapest, ”, European, Europe

☆ EU executive approves 900 mln euros in funds for Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

EU support is crucial to Ukraine, which has been struggling to push back a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. EU officials said Hungary's amended recovery plan is worth a total of 10.4 billion euros over several years - or about 5% of Hungary's 2023 GDP - including 4.6 billion euros under RePowerEU: 0.7 billion euros in grants and 3.9 billion in loans. EU officials said Hungary would use the RePowerEU money to modernise its electricity sector through smart metres and digitalisation of energy companies. EU officials expected two payments of around 460 million euros each to follow next year. EU officials told Reuters last month that the bloc was considering unlocking aid for Hungary to win Budapest's support for Ukraine.

Persons: Laszlo Balogh, Viktor Orban, Orban, Gabriela Baczynska, Toby Chopra Organizations: Hungarian, European Union, National Bank of Hungary, REUTERS, Ukraine EU, European Commission, Ukraine, Kyiv, Fidesz, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, Brussels, Russia, EU, Moscow

☆ Hungary's Ruling Party Submits Bill on 'Protecting National Sovereignty'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party submitted a bill on "protecting national sovereignty" to parliament on Tuesday to defend against what it called undue political interference by foreign persons or groups. The bill would set up a separate authority to explore and monitor risks of political interference and recommend changes in regulations. It would also punish banned foreign financing for parties or groups running for election with up to three years in prison. "Hungary's sovereignty is impaired -- and it also carries a heightened risk to national security -- if political power gets into the hands of persons or organisations dependent on any foreign power, organisation or person," the bill said. Orban, who has a two-thirds majority in parliament that allows Fidesz to change any legislation, scored his fourth landslide victory in 2022.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Orban, Ursula von der Leyen, Boldizsar Gyori, Josie Kao Organizations: European Union, Communist, Fidesz, EU, Ukraine Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungarian, Hungary

☆ Hungary's Orban erects billboards vilifying EU's von der Leyen
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUDAPEST, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Hungary's ruling party unveiled billboards vilifying European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Monday, the first time it has made her a personal target in a campaign similar to one against her predecessor that angered Brussels. The billboards, erected overnight to launch a campaign for next June's European parliamentary election, depict Von der Leyen alongside Alex Soros, the son of liberal Hungarian-born financier George Soros, a perennial target of hostility from Orban's Fidesz Party. Soros is Jewish and some critics view the central role he plays in Fidesz propaganda as evidence of anti-Semitism, which Fidesz strongly denies. Similar billboards showing Von der Leyen's predecessor Jean-Claude Juncker alongside the elder Soros drew a rebuke from Brussels in 2019. Orban sent out a survey on Friday to Hungarians asking whether the EU should allocate more funds to Ukraine or grant it membership.

Persons: Ursula Von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, Alex Soros, George Soros, Soros, Von der, Jean, Claude Juncker, Orban, Krisztina, Peter Graff Organizations: Fidesz Party, Jewish, Fidesz, EPP, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Brussels, Hungarian, Hungary, Europe, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Hungary needs to change the EU, not leave it, Orban says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Orban again reiterated his government's opposition to starting talks with Ukraine about its accession to the EU. "Correcting the mistaken promise (by Brussels) to start talks (with Ukraine about EU membership) will also be our task, as Ukraine is light years away from the EU now," Orban said, adding that he would fight off attempts by the EU to settle migrants in Hungary. Ukraine, which applied to join the EU days after Russia's invasion in February 2022, sees membership as a top priority. The question of starting accession talks with the country will be on the agenda at an EU summit next month. With Hungary clambering out of an inflation crisis, nationalist Orban has this week started campaigning heavily for European parliamentary elections due next June.

Persons: Victor Orban, Johanna Geron, Viktor Orban, Orban, Krisztina, Kirsten Donovan, Mike Harrison Organizations: European Union, of, Caribbean, REUTERS, Rights, Fidesz, Ukraine, EU, Hungary, Thomson Locations: Caribbean States, Brussels, Belgium, Hungary, Europe, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Hungary's Orban seeks to stir support with survey questioning EU policies, Ukraine membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"A breakaway from the voter base has started (...) this campaign aims to stop that," Zoltan Novak, a political analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis think tank said. Another survey by pollster Median also showed a 5 point decline in support for Fidesz between February and October. The questions in the survey portray the EU as favouring Ukraine over Hungary, one of its own members. Earlier this week, Orban said the bloc's strategy of sending money and military aid to Ukraine had failed, and that he opposed starting membership negotiations with Kyiv. His government has taken a different stance on Ukraine than the rest of the bloc, refraining from providing arms and criticising EU sanctions on Russia, although it has eventually backed all the sanctions so far.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Orban's, Orban, Zoltan Novak, Boldizsar, Mark Potter Organizations: European Union, Fidesz, pollster, EU, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, European, Ukraine, Hungary, Russia

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