In politics, every word carries weight, and sometimes statements don’t age well. This is precisely the case with European People’s Party (EPP) leader Manfred Weber’s recent angry remarks directed at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the European Parliament. According to Weber, the Hungarian government and its leader are isolated within the European Union, with no one willing to meet or negotiate with them.
Less than a week after Weber’s wishful rant, Viktor Orbán was—ironically—received in Berlin by Chancellor Olaf Scholz for bilateral talks. Less than a week later, Orbán is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Tuesday evening. Yet another ‘nobody’ on Weber’s list.
According to Press Chief of the Prime Minister Bertalan Havasi, Macron has invited Orbán to a working dinner where several important issues will be discussed. The French press reports that the meeting will provide an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming EU summit in Budapest and also for the European Political Community summit. During the dinner, the two leaders will also review Hungarian–French bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of energy, defence, and transport.
Macron and Orbán have, in fact, had several bilateral discussions, as they share a similar vision for the future of Europe in key areas. These include a commitment to nuclear energy, the promotion of Europe’s strategic autonomy, and the organization of a common European defence industry and defence policy. Macron was once one of the few Western leaders who considered it important to maintain communication channels with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though his stance has since shifted toward a more pro-war position, largely due to the campaign leading up to the European Parliament elections.
‘Macron and Orbán have, in fact, had several bilateral discussions, as they share a similar vision for the future of Europe in key areas’
Notably, prior to his meeting with Macron, Orbán held talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on promoting regional cooperation and coordinating joint action against illegal migration.
The EPP and Weber’s Vicious Smear Campaign
The past few days have once again proven—something that everyone but the completely blind, Hungarophobic European mainstream can clearly see—that neither Hungary nor Viktor Orbán is isolated, either within Europe or internationally. In fact, Hungarian foreign policy has perhaps never been as dynamic and diverse as it is today.
This does not mean, of course, that Manfred Weber and the EPP will retract their factually refuted claims or cease their relentless campaign against Hungary and Viktor Orbán. In fact, they have just recently escalated their efforts. The EPP’s Facebook page featured a post not long ago suggesting that it was time for Orbán to leave politics. Several Hungarian politicians have responded to the insult, including State Secretary for International Communication Zoltán Kovács, who remarked:, ‘Once again, they want to dictate from abroad what kind of government Hungary should have.’
The Sovereignty Protection Office has also responded to the growing anti-Hungarian campaign within the European Union. In a statement, they emphasized that this is not merely a party political or ideological struggle, but an attempt to limit Hungary’s sovereignty and illegitimately interfere in the country’s internal affairs. They asserted that it is the sole right of the Hungarian electorate to decide who should lead the country.
According to the Sovereignty Protection Office, certain EU leaders are acting with the clear intention—similar to their recent actions in other European countries—to pressure Hungary into a political change they consider favourable by exerting external influence and using financial blackmail on Hungarian voters. They also recalled a previous statement by Manfred Weber: ‘I voted against the whole of Hungary with Article 7. Not against Fidesz, not against Viktor Orbán, but against the whole country.’
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