European Lawmakers Grow Increasingly Discontent Over Dismantling of Democracy in Hungary
July 8, 2021–Six months into a new law linking EU funds to a condition requiring members to uphold the rule of law, European lawmakers are primed to use the new power in a case against member-state Hungary.
Today, the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution condemning Hungary for “state-sponsorship” of censorship against homosexuals. The vote of 459 for, 147 against and 58 abstentions came as a new Hungarian law banning depictions of homosexuals in media took effect. Today’s resolution condemns “in the strongest possible terms” the Hungarian law and says it “constitutes a clear breach of the EU’s values, principles and law.”
The Last Straw
EU lawmakers have grown increasingly discontent with EU-member Hungary over a series of infringements on human rights as well as concerns about corruption. The last straw appears to have come today. A new law took effect in Hungary banning media outlets from broadcasting shows or educational materials with homosexuals in them.
When the Hungarian Parliament enacted the law in June on a 157-to-1 vote, EU leaders roundly criticized Hungary and its prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Many of the parliamentarians asked Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, to block EU funds from going to Hungary.
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Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, -
Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s prime minister
Pocketbook Politics
EU members have more powers due to a new EU law linking budget payments to conditions. It means that EU budget payments to member countries can be withheld when “established breaches of the rule of law compromised management” of those funds.
A European Parliament media release describes it as being designed to prevent the misappropriation of taxpayers’ funds and to uphold democratic principles.
Hungary and Poland opposed the plan to make EU funds conditional when the EU debated its seven-year budget last December. But they eventually compromised. The new law, which came into effect in January 2021, requires substantial regulatory guidelines before lawmakers can use the conditionality tool. Today’s action puts moves that process forward.
Corruption Concerns
Even before Hungary Parliament passed the anti-LGBTQ law, European lawmakers had concerns. In particular, EU members raised questions about corruption. The Hungarian government reportedly awarded a contract to Orbán’s son and also advanced plans to build a vintage train to Orbán’s hometown.
“What we want is for the rule of law to function in Hungary, not because we have a sanctions fetish,” said German Green MEP Daniel Freund. “We basically want the re-establishment of the rule of law.”
The Hungarian government is challenging the law in the European court of justice. In 2018, about 5 percent of Hungary’s economy, or €6.3 billion, came from EU funding support.
Other alleged corruption in Hungary includes the separate billing to develop textbooks in 43 school labs even though all labs used the same books. This was highlighted in a report—commissioned by Freund—by professors in EU law and politics.
For more on Hungary, see Is the Sky Turning Red Over EU-Member Hungary? See also a July 8 press release by the European Parliament.
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