The proposed exclusion of Hungarian MEP Tamás Deutsch ended up being a sanction , showing only that the European People’s Party has lost its way, publicist Levente Sitkei writes in daily Magyar Nemzet.
Earlier this week, the faction of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament was to vote on whether or not Tamás Deutsch should remain a member of the group. There were roughly four different scenarios under which this was to take place. The line-up changed daily, rumors spread in the corridors, and the (Hungarian) domestic opposition apparently became members of the People’s Party as well, immediately praising what they thought were real conservatives.
The aim was presumably for one of the factions of the European Parliament, which has seen better days, to punish the freely elected Hungarian member. But eventually, the goal vanished and there remained mere chaos.
This is no wonder, as building an ideology-free ideological group is a really difficult task. The European People’s Party, once a representative of Christian Democracy, today represents nothing but the rule of law and democracy, which are just buzzwords today, like climate change and the importance of cooperation. And the devil is in the details, because let’s not forget that when the members of the European Council adopt the draft budget, the European Parliament will subsequently stamp the agreement, and the latter assembly will feel reduced to a voting machine.
They (the Parliament) want to increase their influence, that is, to mow down, if necessary, the compromise that their own countries have reached. In their vision of the United States of Europe, of course, Parliament would be the arena of decision-making; but this is the European Union, in which the member states have strong powers, so Parliament is more about dressing down those they really don’t like. They do not actually make any decisions; no, they rather negotiate, divide into factions, argue and admire their own importance in the mirror.
Liberals in the European Parliament — and indeed, there are many of them, even most Conservatives — emphasize their principled attitude and European consciousness, while at the same time pushing what would be the right decision politically in their own national group. The small countries always ready for a verbal fight — like the Swedes and the Finns — are used by the big ones, the Germans, the French, the Spaniards, the Italians.
Today, the faction — in fact, organized along national lines — decides what is in the interest of your country, that is, whether to squeeze the Hungarians a little more and prevent them from scoring in the parliament after their success in the European Council. In reality, each state uses the EP for its own ends and plays a role that is independent and European, democratic and climate-friendly, since this currently pays the most.
So, a completely aimless but financially very lucrative party family, which considers its own values important but cannot articulate them, goes after one of its own members to set an example. But, of course, they did so in a kind of European way, so it is not quite clear what the goal was. It is not clear who the family wants to deter from future rebellion, and whether the party’s top management is in fact negotiating in the corridor with the far-too-important Fidesz, which may not be a desirable ally but is simply too stable and too successful.
Furthermore, it may be that Viktor Orbán’s diplomatic determination on the budget will set the path the European Union should take if it is to be successful and strong. And the big boys sending the poor Swedish and Finnish minions into battle may eventually realize that there is a purpose and meaning in working together if we can say what we want and who we are.
But by then, they will be on their way to insignificance.
Title image: Hungarian MEP Tamás Deutsch. (Árpád Földházi/Mandiner)
