Monday, July 1, 2024, 17:52
The Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), which acting Prime Minister Alexander de Croo described as “a creator of agreements”, gave way this Monday to the Hungarian presidency. For the next six months, the legislative negotiation of the Twenty-Seven will be in the hands of the Government of the ultra-conservative Viktor Orbán, who will have to mediate between the Twenty-Seven to reach consensus, a difficult role for a country accustomed to vetoing any European proposal and which in recent years has taken an antidemocratic drift.
Under the motto ‘Make Europe great again’ – paraphrasing Donald Trump’s famous slogan – Hungary wants to be an “honest” interlocutor and, a priori, shows its willingness for “sincere cooperation.” The Hungarian presidency’s program includes the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans; and the promotion of Defense and the competitiveness of the bloc.
Limited power
But doubts regarding his six-month term at the head of the EU Council are hovering in the community capital. And Orbán is known for his speech against Brussels control and in favor of member states recovering more powers.
The Hungarian leader is the European leader closest to the Kremlin – he vetoed financial aid to Ukraine, he was against its accession to the bloc – and maintains a position against the LGTBI community and immigration. In fact, his country has frozen billions of European funds due to its violations of human rights and the rule of law. Orbán, from the Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, wants to strengthen the EU’s external borders.
All in all, Orbán’s power as head of the EU Council will be limited. His presidency begins in the middle of the pause that precedes the constitution of the European Parliament and the new Commission, which will give Hungary few opportunities to condition the bloc’s agenda. Of course, the country will be able to influence the agenda of the ministerial meetings of the Twenty-seven, giving it the ability to decide which debates have priority in the bloc.
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