In a letter sent to Donald Tusk, thirteen leaders of Europe’s centre-right parties asked the European People’s Party (EPP) chief to expel Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party from the Parliament’s centre-right alliance.
The Prime Ministers of Greece and Norway, along with the centre-right parties’ leaders of Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, signed the letter.
“The recent developments have confirmed our conviction that Fidesz, with its current policies, cannot enjoy full membership in the EPP,” the letter reads.
The request followed Hungary’s adoption of a law that gives to Orbán’s Fidesz party sweeping powers to rule by decree, without a clear cut-off date and proper supervision, under the pretext of the Covid-19 emergency. It also foresees hefty fines and even imprisonment for journalists spreading misinformation on the virus, – another major hit in press freedom in the country.
The EPP had suspended Fidesz’ membership last March over rule of law concerns in the country and anti-Brussels rhetoric, and thereafter, the party’s future in the European alliance remained unclear.
The emergency measures taken by Hungary have sparked fears over Orbán’s power grab and the Hungarian citizens’ exposure to a new type of authoritarianism. It is now the EU institutions’ and its member states’ chance to restore Hungary’s compliance with the fundamental principles and values of the EU and EPP’s call of duty to salvage its unity.