In a recent interview with French magazine Le Point, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán emphasized the historical significance of the upcoming European Parliament elections and laid out Hungary's priorities for its impending EU presidency. He discussed the future of European sovereignty, the right-wing political landscape, and the urgent need for rethinking EU policies on migration, the Ukraine war, and green transition.
Prime Minister Orbán outlined a five-point agenda for Hungary's EU presidency. The first priority is addressing migration. "We disagree with the current pact and want to stop more migrants than it allows," PM Orbán stated. He stressed the need for a rational debate on the EU's stance on the Ukraine-Russia war, pointing out that simply declaring "Vladimir Putin cannot win" is insufficient. PM Orbán emphasized the necessity of clarifying the costs and goals of the war for Europe.
The third point the PM raised was the need to reassess the green transition. "The European Union has long claimed that the green transition is not contrary to European competitiveness, but the opposite is true. We must rethink this transition before it kills our industry," he warned.
Developing Europe's defense capabilities is the fourth priority. "If our security fundamentally relies on the Americans, we will never have true strategic autonomy," he said. Finally, he called for sharing best practices in handling the demographic crisis across European nations, excluding immigration.
PM Orbán linked Europe's demographic problems to its war history. "The main cause of our demographic problems is war, but it's not the only one. Without the two world wars and the young European Christian lives lost, there would be no demographic crisis in Europe today," he remarked.
Discussing the European Parliament elections, the prime minister highlighted their historical significance. "In ten years, these elections will likely be seen as the ones that decided peace or war in Europe," he declared, drawing parallels to past world conflicts, noting that neither World War I nor World War II was immediately recognized as global wars.
Prime Minister Orbán underscored the importance of electing representatives who support ending the Ukraine war. "While I hope that pro-peace MEPs will win, I also hope for more sovereignist MEPs who support the Europe of nations," he added. He noted that the future of the European sovereignist camp and the right-wing hinges on the cooperation between Marine Le Pen in France and Giorgia Meloni in Italy. "If they can work together, whether in a group or coalition, they will represent a significant force in Europe," he said.
PM Orbán emphasized the importance of unifying the right-wing electorate in Europe. "We need the right to reflect and gather the opinions of right-wing voters, not for the EPP to collect right-wing votes only to deceive them and collaborate with the left," he stated. He expressed admiration for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, noting her resilience against political attacks and her commitment to Christian values and democracy.
On the topic of European defense, PM Orbán supported enhancing defense capabilities but urged realism. "We must proceed gradually with our ambitions, starting with cooperation at the defense industry level," he explained. He also reiterated Hungary's opposition to common debt, advocating for national financial contributions to military efforts.
Regarding the leadership of the European Commission, Prime Minister Orbán called for the removal of the current administration. "We need to get rid of the current leadership, the worst commission I've ever seen," he said, arguing that the next president should have substantial experience, ideally having served as a prime minister, to effectively handle crucial issues like war, competitiveness, and immigration.
When asked about French President Emmanuel Macron, PM Orbán described him as an "indefinable politician" with whom he has deep, philosophical discussions. "Macron believes in a progressive, liberal future for Europe, which I see as a threat. I believe Europe's future stability lies in returning to Christian values," the PM explained. Despite their differences, he acknowledged areas of agreement, such as nuclear energy and Europe's competitiveness.