Hungary, which takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) at the beginning of July, unveiled the broad outlines of its program on Tuesday, flanked by a Trumpian slogan: “ Make Europe Great Again “.
“Our motto refers to the idea of an active, hands-on presidency, to the fact that we are stronger together, while respecting our identity,” declared European Affairs Minister Janos Boka during a conference of press in Budapest.
Asked about links with the MAGA movement (“ Make America Great Again “) of the former American president, he responded with a joke. “To my knowledge, Donald Trump never wanted to make Europe strong,” he joked.
Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who visited his billionaire “friend” again in March, is a fervent support of the Republican candidate and hopes for his return to the White House after the November presidential election.
In addition to this slogan, the Central European country of 9.6 million inhabitants has defined seven priorities, such as strengthening the competitiveness of the bloc or fighting against illegal immigration, one of the nationalist government’s hobbyhorses.
Hungary had previously held the rotating presidency in the first half of 2011. Viktor Orbán was already in power, but since then relations with Brussels have become even more strained and there are numerous disagreements.
The prospect of seeing the leader in charge arouses unease in several member states, due to the anti-democratic excesses of Budapest and its links with the Kremlin.
Last year, the European Parliament passed a resolution on the subject, wondering how Viktor Orbán’s government “could credibly fulfill its task given its failure to respect EU law and values.”
Hungary is in conflict with Brussels over failings in the fight against corruption and media independence. And the EU in response suspended billions of euros in European funds that were to be paid to this country.
Furthermore, since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, Viktor Orban has refused to help kyiv militarily, blames the policy of sanctions against Moscow and continues to castigate Brussels, accused of wanting to drag Europe into a “global conflagration” .
The EU Council, in which ministers from member states debate European legislation, is chaired in turn for six months by each of the bloc’s 27 countries, which then provide the impetus.
The EU Treaty, which establishes the principle of “equal rotation” between member states for this presidency, does not provide for any exceptions to the rule.