The Hungarian presidency of the EU is coming to an end. In fact, it is more justified to talk about Viktor Orban's presidency of the EU Council, because in Hungarian politics, only Orban matters - he sets the topics, he chooses the words and decides everything, even the smallest administrative issues. The six months were marked by Orban's controversial "peace mission" in Russia, his fight against "Brussels bureaucrats" and his peculiar European path.
Policy of blockage
When the Hungarian presidency began on July 1, 2024, a certain diplomatic fatigue with Orbán had long reigned in Europe. In the most important initiatives and agreements, especially on support for Ukraine, the Hungarian Prime Minister was bypassed because of his constant policy of blockage, with which he constantly created problems.
Today - six months later - it can be said that with his controversial statements, appearances and initiatives, Orbán tried his best to use the EU presidency to increase the degree of indignation against the Community. His attacks on the “Brussels bureaucrats“ reached unprecedented proportions.
"Peace mission" Orban
The country that presides over the Council of the EU should advocate for good and harmonious cooperation between the member states and the Community institutions. It should ensure the consistent implementation of the EU agenda, promote Community legislation and act on behalf of all members. It can set its own priorities, but not pursue its own interests.
Among the priorities announced by Hungary were strengthening the EU's competitiveness, enlargement to the Western Balkans, and reducing illegal migration. But Viktor Orban used the presidency mainly for his own political purposes.
From the very beginning, he took an unplanned diplomatic initiative to end the “Slavic fratricidal war“, as he calls Russia's war against Ukraine. Four days after the start of the presidency, Orban went to Moscow and, without any coordination with the EU and NATO, visited Russian President Putin. Orban called his visit a "peace mission." Three days earlier, he had been on his first bilateral visit to Kiev, where they apparently also knew nothing about his intentions to go to Russia.
The West as a "warmonger"
The "peace mission" has caused outrage and concern, as Hungary actually has no diplomatic weight internationally and is not an acceptable mediator for Ukraine, due to its long-standing stubborn anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian position. Also because of its pro-Russian position, Hungary is no longer considered a reliable partner in NATO. But this did not prevent Orban from continuing his "peace mission" - just a few days ago, after a phone call with Putin, he proposed a "Christmas truce" and a major prisoner exchange.
The "mission" is constantly accompanied by accusations against the West, which was “warmonger“ - Orbán believes that it is the West that is the real culprit for the war waged by Russia. At the same time, the Hungarian Prime Minister regularly praises the former and future US President Donald Trump as a “man of peace“. He was also “the only one“ who is able to end the war in Ukraine.
“Make Europe Great Again“
Like the motto used by Trump, Orbán's second project was called “Make Europe Great Again“. It turned out that it was based on the creation of a nationalist-populist group in the European Parliament - “Patriots for Europe“. Since July 2024, it has been the third largest faction, and is home to far-right populists in the EU, including Orbán's Fidesz party, the French National Rally, the Dutch Freedom Party, and the Austrian Freedom Party.
This international of nationalists supports anti-immigrant and sovereigntist positions. Orbán himself says that "Brussels must be taken over" to save Europe from disintegration and decline. In fact, Orbán is less and less interested in a united Europe in any form. And in recent months, he has increasingly promoted the concept of a "policy of economic neutrality" for Hungary.
Criticisms against the "formation of economic blocs"
Orbán criticizes the EU for “forming economic blocs“ and is convinced that in its current form Europe cannot survive in the global race. According to him, the future economic centers are Asia and the BRICS countries. He believes that, as economically stronger, they will set the rules in the future.
Although Orbán constantly criticizes the West for moral and ideological reasons, he advocates that Hungary, as a small country, should have good and ideology-free relations with the world's power and economic centers, especially China and Russia. At the same time, he would also like good relations with Turkey, Belarus, Israel, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania and some countries in the Middle East – all countries governed by leaders who have similar views to his.
"A small Hungary is not enough"
Orbán apparently no longer rules out a revision of Europe's post-war borders. He constantly emphasizes that such a revision could be carried out in Hungary's favor and that appropriate preparations must be made for this. As Orbán stated in July: "The Greater Hungary Strategy" should not be based on "a small Hungary" - it should encompass all areas inhabited by Hungarians". "A small Hungary alone as a framework is not enough", Orbán emphasized.
In the last days of the year, the presidency of the Council of the EU will be handed over to Poland. Currently, relations between the two countries are at a historic low.
Author: Keno Ferzek