Orbán may lose EU voting rights
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EU showdown: Hungary faces loss of voting rights
The EU Council on General Affairs plans to hold a meeting on May 27 to consider the potential launch of Article 7 proceedings against Hungary. Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union outlines a mechanism to restrict a member state’s rights, including suspending voting rights. Hungary is using its veto power to block talks on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
The EU Council on General Affairs plans to hold a meeting on May 27 to consider the potential launch of Article 7 proceedings against Hungary over breaches of the bloc’s core values.
Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union outlines a mechanism to restrict a member state’s rights, including suspending voting rights, in cases of serious violations of foundational principles.
According to the draft agenda, EU ministers will hold their eighth hearing on the situation in Hungary as part of a process initiated by the European Parliament back in September 2018.
The article allows for the suspension of certain rights of a member state if serious and systematic violations of the EU’s fundamental values are identified.
Hungary’s stance on Ukraine
Throughout more than three years of full-scale war, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has repeatedly opposed military aid to Ukraine and its NATO membership. Budapest has also been vocal against sanctions on Russia.
Currently, Hungary is using its veto power to block talks on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
Recently, Orban issued an ultimatum to Brussels, demanding that Ukraine’s membership bid be halted.
In response, a group of European Parliament members sent a letter to the European Commission, calling for EU funding to Hungary to be cut over its violations of EU values and laws.
PM Viktor Orbán takes EU’s Article 7 seriously as Hungary’s sovereignty laws trigger alarm
PM Viktor Orbán takes EU’s Article 7 seriously as Hungary’s sovereignty laws trigger alarm. In Hungary, the creation of the Office for the Protection of Sovereignty and the Transparency Act has raised serious concerns. Under the draft law, the government led by Orbán could label not only foreign-funded NGOs, but even those using EU funds as ‘threatening sovereignty’ European journalists have sent a joint letter protesting against the law, urging the EU to take action against Hungary. If it leads to the suspension of voting rights, it could even put Hungary’s EU membership in question. Fidesz has lost its lead in opinion polls for the first time in a decade, overtaken by the Tisza Party led by Péter Magyar.
In Hungary, the creation of the Office for the Protection of Sovereignty and the Transparency Act has raised serious concerns. Under the draft law, the government led by PM Viktor Orbán could label not only foreign-funded NGOs, but even those using EU funds, as ‘threatening sovereignty’, depriving them of tax benefits and confiscating their documents. European journalists have sent a joint letter protesting against the law, urging the EU to take action against Hungary.
For Orbán, the progress of the EU’s Article 7 rule of law procedure is a serious threat: if it leads to the suspension of voting rights, it could even put Hungary’s EU membership in question. Fidesz has so far formed a blocking coalition with countries such as Austria and Slovakia, which would be willing to secretly vote against Orbán. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico remains the most important ally, but Fico’s political position has also been shaken. Orbán’s support for far-right, pro-Russian George Simion in the Romanian elections could jeopardise Orbán’s plans.
Viktor Orbán and the EU’s Article 7
According to VSquare, Viktor Orbán and his government are under increasing domestic and foreign policy pressure. The EU’s Article 7 procedure, which could lead to Hungary’s voting rights being suspended, is now a real threat, not just political theatre for Orbán. In particular, he fears that the 2026 elections could turn into a referendum on Hungary’s EU membership. If the EU adopts sanctions against Hungary, this could reinforce the “Huxit” narrative, which could be emphasised by Fidesz’s opposition. Orbán is therefore trying to block EU decisions by all means, but as we mentioned earlier, his former allies have wavered, and some have already indicated that they would be willing to support the use of Article 7.
Photo: FB/Orbán
Orbán’s pro-Russian stance is also prominent in Hungary’s foreign policy strategy, with the likes of the Bosnian mine project, a joint project between Orbán and Dodik, the Bosnian Serb leader, which is being fiercely protested by local residents. VSquare also touches on the Hungarian government’s Russian connections, for example, in the sections on the Pravfond affair, which reveals the Kremlin’s extensive network of influence, and in which Hungary is also involved.
The domestic political situation
The domestic political situation is also tense. Fidesz has lost its lead in opinion polls for the first time in a decade, overtaken by the Tisza Party led by Péter Magyar. Orbán’s response: smear campaigns, legal threats and proceedings against Magyar and his allies. Despite this, the Tisza Party’s popularity continues to grow. According to the article, there is already talk within Fidesz that Viktor Orbán might not run again in the 2026 elections, which would have been unthinkable before. Instead, János Lázár, the transport minister, is being considered as a possible successor. Lazar has recently been increasingly active, holding campaign-style events and building his own communications team, although he publicly denies his leadership ambitions.
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No majority among EU countries to sanction Hungary over rule of law
Ministers of EU affairs will hold a hearing over the state of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary in the framework of the Article 7 process. The process began in 2018 when the European Parliament called for Hungary to be sanctioned. The Council has discussed the issue eight times subsequently, but has never taken the step of triggering the next stage in the process, in which member states would be called on to vote on sanctions. At Tuesday’s hearing, the government’s ban on the Budapest gay pride march, and the new draft law called Transparency Law, are both likely to be raised. The strongest sanction – often referred to as the nuclear option – is the suspension of the voting rights of the member state.
EU ministers will not call for the deployment of sanctions under Article 7 against Hungary when they meet for a hearing on the issue in Brussels on Wednesday because they lack the requisite majority, an EU diplomat said on Tuesday.
Ministers of EU affairs will gather on Tuesday in Brussels to hold a hearing over the state of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary in the framework of the Article 7 process, which could see Hungary’s voting rights suspended.
The process began in 2018 when the European Parliament called for Hungary to be sanctioned because of alleged rule of law violations, especially in the field of justice and media freedom. The Council has discussed the issue eight times subsequently, but has never taken the step of triggering the next stage in the Article 7 process, in which member states would be called on vote on sanctions.
“What’s clear to me is that I’m not sure that we at this stage have the required votes,” the diplomat said, saying if there will ever be an appetite to go further.
Normally, at Article 7 hearings, Hungary presents a readout on the rule of law situation and other member states can subsequently intervene, raise issues and ask questions. At Tuesday’s hearing, the government’s ban on the Budapest gay pride march, and the new draft law called Transparency Law, which could potentially limit the work of foreign-funded media in the country, are both likely to be raised.
“I think some member states will raise it. I cannot really tell you how it will be discussed,” the diplomat said, adding: “The aim now is to provide the Council with updated information and a picture of the situation in Hungary.”
The Article 7 process has two phases: in the current first phase member states organise hearings in order to get a clear picture to understand the situation in the country in question. While in the second phase of the process, the Council could decide on possible sanctions. The strongest sanction – often referred to as the nuclear option – is the suspension of the voting rights of the member state. Member states may only decide on sanctions by unanimity of all member states except the country in question. Alternately, if 80% of member states agreed, they could reprimand Hungary for persistent breach of EU rule of law principles. There is no clear majority for either option at the moment, the diplomat said.
Earlier, Robert Fico’s Slovakia made it clear it would block any attempt to punish Hungary. In January 2024, the Slovakian politician said that while he remained in office, he would never let a country be punished for standing up for its national sovereignty. Other countries might also refuse to sanction Hungary.
Hungary has previously described the Article 7 process as a political witch hunt against its government, which has lobbied for the EU sanctions regime to be reformed.
Poland was previously subject to an Article 7 process, but the pro-EU government of Donald Tusk reversed controversial justice reforms, which saw the Article 7 process dropped.
Will Hungary lose its EU veto power and which countries oppose it
The EU has a mechanism that could strip Orbán’s government of its voting rights in the EU. Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union allows for suspending certain rights of a member state, including voting rights. The first step is a formal warning. This stage doesn’t require unanimity – just the support of 21 out of 27 member states. But in the past seven years, the EU Council has failed to even pass this warning. And even today, there still aren’t enough votes against Hungary. Some governments fear setting a precedent that might later be used against them. The recent shift in sentiment signals growing EU frustration with Orbán’s behaviour.
However, no such breakthrough occurred.
Read more about how the EU could punish Hungary and why the process is so complex in the article by Tetiana Vysotska, European Pravda’s correspondent in Brussels: Tired of Hungary: how Orbán escaped EU sanctions and why the chances of his punishment are growing.
The EU has a mechanism that could strip Orbán’s government of its voting rights in the EU, effectively ending a pattern seen in recent years: Hungary using its veto power early in discussions on key EU initiatives (including those related to Ukraine) to bargain for concessions or EU budget funds in exchange for lifting the blockade. This tactic works only in areas requiring unanimity – mainly foreign policy.
Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union allows for suspending certain rights of a member state, including voting rights, if it seriously and persistently breaches the Union’s core values.
Hungary’s violations of these values are well-documented, but the punishment mechanism is far from automatic.
Article 7 outlines a multi-step process. The first step is a formal warning.
That process was initiated back on 12 September 2018, by the European Parliament.
This stage doesn’t require unanimity – just the support of 21 out of 27 member states.
Yet in the past seven years, the EU Council has failed to even pass this warning.
And even today, there still aren’t enough votes against Hungary.
The issue isn’t necessarily a desire to protect Orbán. Rather, some governments fear setting a precedent that might later be used against them.
Still, the tide is turning and not in Hungary’s favour.
Just ahead of the latest ministers’ meeting, the Netherlands initiated an EU declaration condemning new anti-LGBT+ measures in Hungary.
Within a day, 20 EU countries had signed the declaration – nearly enough to issue a formal warning under Article 7(1).
Only six countries, apart from Hungary itself, refused to sign: Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Croatia. But even among them, some – like Poland and Romania – could eventually support sanctions.
For example, in Poland, the presidential runoff is happening this Sunday, and the government likely wants to avoid polarising LGBT+ topics during the campaign. Romania’s stance may become clearer once post-election processes are fully completed.
The recent shift in sentiment signals growing EU frustration with Orbán’s behaviour.
For now, the Hungarian regime still has a chance to course-correct.
But if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continues to escalate, Hungary could face not just a warning but actual punishment, which would require the support of 26 EU states. That would pave the way for suspending Hungary’s rights within the EU, including its veto power.
Stripping Hungary’s EU voting rights on agenda for May 27 meeting
European ministers will discuss Hungary’s status at a meeting of the General Affairs Council on May 27. The EU is looking for ways to override Budapest if it vetoes Ukraine’s accession to the bloc. Hungary’s ongoing obstruction of support for Ukraine has repeatedly triggered threats to withdraw the country’s voting rights. The European Parliament has also continuously raised Article 7 concerns regarding Hungary’s “erosion of the rule of law”
The Council of the European Union will hold a hearing regarding the potential loss of Hungary’s voting rights at a meeting on May 27, according to the agenda on the Council’s web portal.
This will be the eighth hearing regarding Hungary since the European Parliament triggered Article 7 procedures against the country in 2018. Article 7 of the EU Treaty allows for the suspension of Council voting rights if a member state consistently breaches EU founding principles.
European ministers will discuss Hungary’s status at a meeting of the General Affairs Council on May 27, the Council said.
The hearing comes as the EU is looking for ways to override Budapest if it vetoes Ukraine’s accession to the bloc. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said on May 10 that Brussels has alternative plans in the event Hungary attempts to obstructs Ukraine’s candidacy.
“We have a plan B and a plan C. But our focus is plan A, the essence of which is to get everyone’s support,” Kallas told reporters.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU aid packages for Ukraine while opposing sanctions against Russia. Hungary’s ongoing obstruction of support for Ukraine has repeatedly triggered threats to withdraw the country’s voting rights.
The European Parliament has also continuously raised Article 7 concerns regarding Hungary’s “erosion of the rule of law.” Under the Orban government, Hungary has faced increasing criticism from international watchdogs for limiting press freedom and undermining democracy.
Mass protests broke out in Budapest on May 18 in response to a controversial bill that would grant the government sweeping powers to investigate, penalize, or even ban media outlets and non-governmental organizations receiving any foreign funding. The bill, proposed by a member of Orban’s ruling Fidesz party, is similar to Russia’s restrictive “foreign agents” law.