Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will face the ire of his opponents in the European Parliament – and the adulation of his friends – if, as expected, he takes up a forthcoming invitation to address the EU legislature in Strasbourg next week. Orbán infuriates the left and energises the populist right in equal measure, both of whom are well represented in the Parliament and will have their own opportunities to speak. The bombastic prime minister knows what he is walking into and can be expected to come prepared.
Leaders of the Parliament’s political groups are due to approve sending a customary invitation to the Hungarian government this Wednesday (11 September). The invitation is a formality extended to all governments during their six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, representing the national governments of the EU’s 27 member states. Hungary is midway through its turn at the helm, which runs until the end of the year. Meanwhile, Orbán’s address is already pencilled into the parliamentary calendar for the morning of Wednesday, 18 September.
In theory, the parliamentary leaders do not have to send the invitation – it is a convention, not the law. After all, EU foreign ministers made the unusual decision to move an informal meeting in August from Budapest to Brussels as a rebuke to Orbán’s diplomatic overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, addressing the Parliament during the Council presidency is such a well-established convention that Orbán’s opponents are wary of playing politics with it, lest it set a precedent that could be used against them in the future. Similarly, the Hungarian government is not obliged to send the prime minister. Or, to put it another way, Orbán does not have to turn up unless he wants to. For example, Hungary could, in principle, send Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok or Dr Bálint Ódor, the country’s mild-mannered and bookish EU ambassador.
Orbán's Political Theatre
Indeed, one way Orbán could thumb his nose at the Parliament might well be to send a functionary in his stead. But he probably won’t do that. For one thing, sending anyone else would disappoint his supporters in the legislature. They include the newly-formed Patriots for Europe group that Orbán himself convened – now the Parliament’s third-largest political group. He would miss the chance to enjoy their applause and to post footage of it on social media. At the same time, failing to turn up would do nothing to discourage his detractors’ political attacks, which will be live-streamed from the chamber. It might even cause them to call him a coward. For Orbán, this is a golden opportunity to play the role of national champion once again, standing up to the ‘globalists’ he and his international allies have set as their foil. Everyone involved expects him to take it – and to enjoy it.
Beyond the Orbán Show: A Look at Other EU Developments
Mario Draghi’s call for EU policymakers to reduce companies’ regulatory burden to boost the bloc’s faltering competitiveness was praised by European business groups on Monday (9 September) but criticised by Europe’s largest trade union confederation. Large EU telecom companies and smaller consumer associations and tech firms are divided on the findings of Mario Draghi’s report, published on Monday (9 September), which sounded the alarm on the state of EU telecoms competition policy. Political reactions following the publication of the Draghi report have been mixed in Italy, with Democratic Party MEP Giorgio Gori (S&D) suggesting that these reactions only serve to highlight the real “enemies of Europe”.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on Tuesday (10 September) upheld the European Commission’s €2.42 billion fine against Google over allegations it abused its dominant position in the search engine market. Apple must pay a €13 billion tax bill as per a ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on Tuesday (10 September), which experts deem gives weight to Ireland being dubbed, by some, a ‘tax-safe haven’. Although he comes from a place on the political spectrum not typically associated with environmental protection, former European commissioner and incoming French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is known for his progressive environmental stance. Bulgarian caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev announced on Monday (9 September) that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had asked him to nominate Ekaterina Zaharieva, a GERB (EPP) MP, as Bulgarian commissioner.
What's Next?
The upcoming weeks promise continued EU political drama. The eyes of Europe will be on Strasbourg as Viktor Orbán takes the stage. It remains to be seen whether he will use this opportunity to solidify his position as a leader of the populist right or find himself facing further isolation on the European stage. The EU is also facing critical decisions on competition policy, taxation, and environmental protection. These issues will continue to shape the bloc’s future and test the unity of its member states.
