Orban Vows to Fight Liberal Democracy in Challenge to EU Values

(Bloomberg) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that fighting liberal democracy would be his primary political project for the next 15 years, in a challenge to European Union values.

Orban, a standard bearer of European nationalism, re-affirmed his commitment on Saturday to what he bills as “illiberal democracy,” or essentially a defense of “Christian liberty.” The four-term premier controls not only parliament, but most of Hungary’s formerly independent institutions and Europe’s biggest propaganda machine.

The EU, which is considering choking off funding to countries deemed to undermine the bloc’s values when it begins to thrash out its post-2020 budget later this year, is currently probing Hungary for rule-of-law violations. Hungary is a net recipient of billions of euros annually from the bloc and a staunch opponent of placing conditions on its financing.

“It’s doable, possible and rational to place the thesis of illiberal democracy against that of liberal democracy, not just intellectually but as a political program,” Orban told supporters in Baile Tusnad, Romania, where he annually headlines an ethnic Hungarian cultural festival. He said fighting for this would be the “mission of our generation for the next 15 years.”

Orban added that he expects support from newly elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he’s set to meet in Brussels on Aug. 1. While von der Leyen has publicly backed new ways to force members to respect democratic standards, Orban lobbied for her election and may be expecting something in return on this issue.

Hungary is facing an Article 7 probe, which may lead to the suspension of its voting rights in the bloc. Orban’s Fidesz party was also suspended from the center-right European People’s Party earlier this year because of its rule-of-law record.

To contact the reporter on this story: Zoltan Simon in Budapest at zsimon@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Balazs Penz at bpenz@bloomberg.net, Abigail Moses, Andrew Davis

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