Eurosceptic surge: Fresh alliance threatens Brussels – Hungary’s Orban sparks uprising

Viktor Orban hits out at EU over coronavirus vaccine roll out

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The Hungarian Prime Minister said on Wednesday his party was leaving the largest centre-right political group in the European Parliament after the faction moved towards suspending it in a tug-of-war. In a letter to group chief Manfred Weber, Mr Orban said he was “disappointed” by the “undemocratic, unjust and unacceptable” decision of the EPP to vote for a rule change that could ultimately see his party expelled.

Pro-EU MEPs were quick to celebrate the break up between Fidesz and the rest of the EPP.

Dacian Ciolos, head of a liberal group in the European Parliament, said: “I welcome the long-overdue departure of Fidesz and Viktor Orban from mainstream European politics.

“There is no space for the toxic populism of Fidesz in mainstream European politics.”

But eurosceptics across the bloc showed their support to the Hungarian Prime Minister.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the Italian League party called Mr Orban on Wednesday to openly offer his party a spot in the Identity and Democracy group.

German AfD co-chair and MEP Jörg Meuthen also offered his official invitation to the eurosceptic group.

The co-chairmen of the European Conservatives and Reformists group also “expressed their sympathies and solidarity”, in an open statement to Mr Orban.

On Wednesday, the EPP group voted overwhelmingly to allow for suspension and to make the ejection of member parties easier.

READ MORE: Germany admits Britain was right about Covid vaccines

A separate motion to freeze out Fidesz was expected soon.

Calling the changes “a hostile move against Fidesz”, Mr Orban reacted before the EPP faction denied its 12 Fidesz members the right to speak on behalf of the group or represent it in other work of the chamber.

In his letter, he wrote that limiting the ability of Fidesz members of the European Parliament to carry out their duties “deprives Hungarian voters of their democratic rights”.

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The conservative EPP faction includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU, Poland’s opposition Civic Platform, Belgian Christian democrats, France’s Les Republicains and others.

Without the 12 Fidesz members, it will have 175 EU lawmakers and remain the largest in the 705-strong chamber.

Fidesz has been suspended from the EPP pan-European party since 2019, though its MEPs have so far remained in the conservative faction in the European Parliament.

Mr Weber said that forcing a university founded by liberal billionaire George Soros to leave Hungary and Budapest’s opposition to strict conditions on receiving EU funds were “fundamental” problems.

Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group think tank said the development was “a big strategic loss for Orban in Europe, who will now lose both the influence and protection that the EPP afforded him”.

But he warned: “His departure from the EPP will lead to him adopting more extreme positions towards Brussels and escalating tensions between the two.”

After the vote, Irish MEP Maria Walsh tweeted: “This morning we had a vote in the EPP Group to address & face the recklessness of Hungary in breaking the Rule of Law. 84.1 percent voted to change the Rules. A strong PRO EU voice showing we will not stand for this. Our EU citizens & our Group deserve better.”

Mr Orban has been a constant thorn in the EU’s side, often criticising the bloc’s decisions.

Amid the infighting within the EU Parliament, Mr Orban criticised Brussels for how it had treated the UK over Brexit.

Now the UK has left the bloc, Mr Orban stated former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had not delivered enough reform to keep the UK in the bloc.

With so many EU states struggling to implement their vaccination programmes, Mr Orban has also broken ranks to approve the Chinese and Russian vaccines.

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