Two out of three Slovenian European People's Party (EPP) members pledged support for Fidesz-KDNP as Manfred Weber, the bloc's candidate for European Commission president, laid out three conditions for the Hungarian governing parties to meet to maintain membership in the pan-European party.
According to statements by the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and the Slovenian People's Party (SLS), Fidesz's expulsion would weaken the positions of the EPP in the European Parliament and send a negative message to voters just weeks before the EP elections.
Only those parties criticize Fidesz, the SDS statement reads, who are in a weak position prior to the European Parliamentary elections and look for someone to blame in case of unfavorable election results.
In an interview with a German daily yesterday evening, Manfred Weber outlined three conditions that Hungary's ruling Fidesz party would have to fulfill to remain in the European People's Party.
Firstly, according to Weber, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán must "immediately and definitively end his government's campaign against Brussels", secondly, he must apologize to all EPP member parties and finally, allow the Central European University to remain in Budapest.
Fidesz leaders say they have no wish to leave the EPP but do want anti-migration forces to prevail within the party.
The EPP is set to discuss the topic on March 20th.