Germany’s likely incoming coalition government has reportedly agreed to push the European Union to punish member states that violate its key principles, a move seen as a clear reference to Hungary. According to a draft coalition agreement seen by Politico, the conservative bloc of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the their likely coalition partner the Social Democratic Party (SPD) have agreed to demand of the EU that offending countries are properly held to account.
Negotiators from the parties reportedly wrote: “Existing protective instruments, from infringement proceedings and the withholding of EU funds to the suspension of membership rights such as voting rights in the Council of the EU, must be applied much more consistently than before.” The outlet claims that, though Hungary wasn’t named, it marked a “thinly-veiled” threat towards the central European country, the government of which has long been accused of restricting the independence of judges, democratic backsliding, and limiting press freedom. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is Europe’s most pro-Russian leader, and has been a barrier to the majority of European nations keen to maximise support for Ukraine.
Under his stridently nationalistic leadership, Hungary has drifted ever further from the EU fold over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, repeatedly holding up the passage of multibillion-euro aid packages for Kyiv, and sanctions against Moscow.
Orbán is also seen as a growing threat to EU unity, recently vetoing summit conclusions on Ukraine at a summit on March 6, and forcing the remaining 26 member states to adopt a separate statement, as per The Financial Times.
Orban is also an ally of US President Donald Trump, and has voiced support for his approach to negotiations with Russia, which have opened the possibility the Washington normalising relations with Moscow, and largely excluded Kyiv and the EU.
The incoming German government wants to end Hungary’s ability to paralyse the bloc through veto and will “advocate an expansion of qualified majority voting in the Council of the EU, particularly on certain issues of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), such as the imposition of sanctions.”
This would mean that some important decisions could be taken by the EU without the greenlight from Budapest.
The Hungarian government has been approached for comment via email.
Friedrich Merz’s party, the CDU, and the CSU, which only operates in Bavaria, are currently in talks with the SPD about underlying principles ahead of an expected power-sharing arrangement.
According to the outlet, the tough stance on misbehaving countries is part of a “series of provisional deals” concerning a wide range of issues, including welfare spending, migration policy and phasing out the use coal.
The parties are also keen to rebuild relationships with France and Poland, and take a more proactive role in European politics through its loose association with the two countries, known as the Weimar Triangle.
