Orbán's steadfast stance: Charting course against EU double standards Charisma vs volatility

Europe faces a multitude of challenges — political, military, social, climate, and gender-related. Yet, European leaders have singled out Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as a pressing issue. They are particularly displeased with his stance on enhancing national independence and sovereignty, highlighted by Hungary's Parliament passing a law on national sovereignty protection in late 2023. The European Commission (EC) believes this law violates several fundamental EU values. This is probably how they perceived one of the clauses of the document aimed at combating foreign funding of parties and groups running for elections.

Recently, following Orban's controversial "peace mission" to Ukraine, Russia, and China, EU member states have decided to boycott the EU foreign affairs summit in Budapest, scheduled for August 28-29. EU leaders suspect Orban of negotiating on behalf of the EU Council, which he chairs on a six-month rotational basis, despite his claims of travelling in a personal capacity.

Additionally, Orban's meeting with Donald Trump at Trump's Florida residence, two days before an assassination attempt on the former president, following the NATO summit in Washington, likely further aggravated European leaders. Orban's social media post about the meeting, where he stated they discussed achieving peace and praised Trump, may have added to the discontent. Sharing the photo, Orban signed it in this vein: "It was an honour to visit President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago today. We discussed ways to make peace. The good news of the day: he’s going to solve it!"

The latest wave of criticism against Viktor Orbán and Hungary has begun. Josep Borrell, known for his "double standards," announced an alternative "party" for European political leaders at the end of August, aimed at undermining the Budapest summit. Following this, the German finance and agriculture ministers hinted at potentially skipping the informal EU agriculture ministers' meeting scheduled for September in Hungary.

Simultaneously, EC chief Ursula von der Leyen cancelled the EC board's visit to Hungary, announcing a lower level of representation at informal EU Council meetings during Orbán's presidency. In response, Budapest, through EU Affairs Minister Janos Boka, called the decision illegitimate, arguing that the EC, as an EU institution created by member states, cannot "independently select states for cooperation."

He questioned whether all EC decisions are now politically motivated, adding that Budapest has invited everyone to participate in events under the Hungarian presidency to address common problems, which is their responsibility.

Experts from various countries note that opinions on Viktor Orbán may differ, but his political courage is undeniable. Despite blackmail and pressure, he remains steadfast. As evidence, Hungary has launched an investigation against Transparency International, accusing it of "trying to influence the will of voters," according to the Office for the Defence of Sovereignty. Predictably, this led to political attacks against Budapest for allegedly "intimidating civil society."

Moreover, current EU leaders are unlikely to forgive Orbán for initiating a new right-wing group in the European Parliament, which quickly gained popularity.

Analysts also highlight that by the end of this summer, Budapest must respond to the EC's case against Hungary over the sovereignty law. If the EU finds the response unsatisfactory, Brussels is expected to escalate the situation.

As a number of Western observers have noted, EU leaders have assumed the role of professor-examiners, arbitrarily assigning grades to those they deem "guilty." If they choose, they can make you repeat the year; if not, you may advance without a scholarship. And if your pursuit of political and economic independence offends them, they threaten to expel you entirely. The irony is that the European Union is not a university, and there are no examination sessions.

In any case, Orbán manages to maintain his political stance and continues to shape life in Hungary according to the country's interests, emphasizing the strengthening of sovereignty. Viktor Orbán also remains active on the international stage. Recently, news agencies have highlighted points from a letter he sent to Brussels following his participation in the NATO summit in Washington.

In the letter, Orbán advocates for a new round of negotiations with China to hold a peace conference on Ukraine, the resumption of direct diplomatic relations with Russia, and coordinated political efforts to regain support from the Global South. He also expressed concern about the situation in the United States and its implications for European foreign policy, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine. Orbán asserts that the only global players capable of influencing these developments are the EU, the US, and China, with Türkiye playing a crucial role as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia.

Orbán also expressed confidence that if Donald Trump wins the election, he will be prepared to act as a peace mediator immediately, armed with detailed and robust plans. In the letter's conclusion, Orbán criticized the EU's strategy as a mere repetition of US policy, lacking sovereign and independent planning, and suggested that the EU should reconsider its approach.

"The EU should seize the window of opportunity with a strong moral and rational basis to start a new chapter of European politics—to achieve a ceasefire or to start peace talks," he summarized.

Can Viktor Orbán's stance be embraced by European political leaders? However, one might wonder if there are any true leaders left in the Old World in the traditional sense. Amid their perceived lack of backbone, experts assert that the Hungarian prime minister stands out not just for his charisma, but for his clear perspective on the evolving global situation.

Teymur Atayev

The opinions expressed by guest columnists in their op-eds may differ from and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.