A Finnish MEP has launched a petition calling for the European Commission to revoke Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s voting rights in the European Council in order to “protect democracy”.
Petri Sarvamaa, a member of the European People’s Party, published the petition on Tuesday to be sent to President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola calling on her to hold a parliamentary vote on a resolution that would see the “Commission or the Member States” urged to take action against Hungary due to a “serious and persistent breach of EU values.”
The aforementioned breach relates to Hungary’s legal and democratic opposition to the desire of liberals in Brussels to increase the EU budget to accommodate greater financial support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Orbán has repeatedly refused to sanction such a move, which requires unanimity among member states, enraging liberals across Europe and reigniting calls for a treaty change to remove the unanimity principle and move to a form of qualified majority voting.
Sarvamaa claimed that such action is necessary “to protect the values of the European Union” and called for “the suspension of specific membership rights of Hungary, including voting rights in the Council.”
He added that such a move would send a “clear message to Hungary that its actions are unacceptable.”
Fellow lawmakers have been given the deadline of Friday to co-sign the letter before it is sent to the European Parliament president.
Tensions between Hungary and the European elite are reaching fever pitch ahead of European parliamentary elections later this year, with many EU lawmakers incandescent with rage at the audacity of Orbán’s administration to make decisions prioritizing Hungarian citizens over the interests of the collective European Union.
The fallout continued this week after European Council President Charles Michel announced he will run in the parliamentary elections to become an MEP, a move that could see Viktor Orbán chair the Council temporarily under Hungary’s rotating presidency until a successor is named.
Former Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga quipped on Monday that the mainstream media was in a full meltdown at the prospect and asked, “Do they fear that Europe would finally have a leader?”
Balázs Hidvéghi, the prime minister’s press chief, said that the “groundless political smear campaign” against Hungary was in full flow in Brussels and claimed it would not change as long as “the EU institutions are full of such Sarvamaa figures.”
“Therefore, this June, Hungary must take over the political management of Brussels. Change is needed in Brussels,” he added.
