Nordic Left Members of the European Parliament calls for the Council to move ahead and strip Hungary of its right to veto in the Council, by using article 7.2 and 7.3 to suspend its voting rights.

Their call comes after Viktor Orbán, the country’s prime minister, in a speech on 18. February called for laws allowing to expel – and permanently banish – journalists who had received funding from sources such as US Aid and the Soros Foundation. In the speech, reported by Hungarian outlet Magyar Nemzet,when talking about journalists who had received funding from abroad,  Orbán “asked MPs to enact strict laws and to ban those who have benefited from these funds from Hungary”.

If the EU does not act now, when Orbán is even calling for the possibility to ban journalists critical of him and his regime, then when will we act? If we never actually act on his Rule of Law violations, what are all of our talk of democracy in the EU good for, asks Danish Left MEP Per Clausen.

Orbán makes it clear that he feels that with Donald Trump in the White House, he can go even further than he has before, and he repeats his rhetoric about occupying Brussels. It ought to be clear to everyone, that we cannot let his latest attack on democracy pass as if nothing happened, says Left MEP Li Andersson from Finland.

Once again Orbán also brought up his opposition to Ukraine, and by temporarily suspending Hungary’s voting rights, in line with the treaties, we also ensure he cannot use the threat of a veto to benefit Putin’s cause. We must act now, comments Swedish Left MEP Jonas Sjöstedt.

The Nordic Left MEPs are calling for the use of articles 7.2 and 7.3. These articles make it possible to summon a country that repeatedly violates the rules of the EU to a serious conversation and demand improvements. If this does not happen, it will be possible to deprive Hungary of its voting rights in the EU Council of Ministers – and without Hungary being able to block it.