London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

EU determined to uphold rule of law following Orban's re-election

EU determined to uphold rule of law following Orban's re-election

Hungary's Justice Minister had urged the bloc not to create division amid the war in Ukraine.
The European Union has said it is determined to uphold the rule of law principle in a dispute with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said the bloc must still "protect minorities" in Hungary following this month's election.

Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga had earlier said that Orban's "overwhelming" victory proved that voters, "do not share the EU's concerns" about the rule of law.

Varga had also urged the EU not to "create divisions" amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But the EU Commissioner reiterated that Brussels would support Hungarian minorities even if a democratically-elected government "acts against our values".

"The rule of law also means limiting the possibility for the authorities of a Member State, even if supported by a large majority in Parliament [and] a large majority among the population," Reynders said.

The European Commission launched infringement proceedings against Budapest last July over a controversial law that bans the discussion of "gender reassignment and homosexuality" among children.

Brussels has also expressed concern over the independence of the judiciary and media freedoms in Hungary.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced earlier this month that EU funds to Hungary could be suspended due to rule of law violations.

On Tuesday, Hungary's justice minister said the EU should avoid dividing itself on the rule of law while war rages on its doorstep.

"In these very difficult times we must show solidarity," Varga told reporters before a meeting in Luxembourg.

"We should focus on the issues that unite us rather than on those that create divisions," she added.

"[Hungary] is always open to any kind of European dialogue in the spirit of mutual respect and without partisan approaches".

Following his electoral victory on 3 April, Orbán stated that he wants to put an end to the EU split over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Hungary, alone among Ukraine’s EU neighbours, has refused to supply the embattled country with weapons and has not allowed their transfer across the Hungarian-Ukrainian border.

Orbán — who has condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine but avoided mentioning Putin by name — has also lobbied strongly against spreading EU sanctions against Moscow to Russian energy imports, on which Hungary is heavily reliant.

His stance has led to strong criticism from the EU, including from a strong ally in Poland.

Jaroslaw Kaczyński -- the leader of Poland's ruling conservative party -- surprised journalists by stating that Orbán's attitude toward the war in Ukraine was “very sad” and a “disappointment.”

In an address to EU leaders at the end of March, Zelenskyy told Orbán that “you must decide for yourself who you are with.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
×