For years, Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has been attacking the fundamental values of the European Union, particularly by restricting freedom of speech and opinion, weakening the rights of various minorities and workers, and slowing down or otherwise hindering decision-making in relation to, for example, support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia.
Li Andersson is an MEP for the Finnish Left Alliance, the party she led from from 2016 to 2024.
What do authoritarian leaders do when they are not stopped? They go further. An amendment tabled in the Hungarian parliament on Tuesday, 13 May by Orbán’s Fidesz party would give the authorities broad powers to monitor, sanction, or ban the activities of civil society, political movements, trade unions and the media. The proposal will be approved by the parliament, where Fidesz has a two-thirds majority.
The proposal suggests that organizations receiving foreign funding have become instruments of foreign influence that pose a threat to Hungary’s national security and sovereignty. These organizations could be blacklisted, meaning they would need permission to receive foreign funding, including EU funds, and would no longer be able to receive donations through the Hungarian tax system, which has been a key source of funding for many of them. The initiative also allows for the monitoring of actors’ documents, equipment, and bank accounts. The organizations subject to the proposal are vaguely defined and range from trade unions to YouTube channels and artistic associations.
The bill is justified by insisting that it safeguards freedom of speech, but in reality its purpose is the opposite. It states that any activity aimed at influencing people’s opinions on, for example, Hungary’s national identity, views on marriage, family and gender, or Christianity, or presenting them in “a negative light” will be punishable in the future. If a political actor is found guilty of such offences, they may be punished with an administrative fine 25 times the amount of foreign aid received. If the fine is not paid by the due date, the operation will be completely banned.
As MEPs of The Left in the European Parliament, we are going to Budapest Pride on 28 June to show our support to all the people in Hungary fighting against Orbán’s oppression.
Recently, tens of thousands of people in Hungary protested against the proposal, sending a clear message that, if implemented, it would further restrict democratic rights in the country in a very severe manner by silencing the critical voices. This is also the message the EU should put forward more decisively. In 2024, the European Commission sent Hungary a letter of formal notice regarding the establishment of the National Sovereignty Office, which violates EU law in a number of ways, including democratic rights, privacy, and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary. However, this is not enough.
Yet there are other worrying developments in Hungary. Orbán is preparing to withdraw Hungary from the International Criminal Court. The Hungarian authorities officially informed the UN Secretary-General about its intention to do so on 2 June. The decision was taken after Orbán welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hungary, despite the fact that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for the crimes he has committed in Gaza. The European Commission is currently looking into the legal implications of this decision, given that ratification of the ICC’s Rome Statute is one of the requirements for states wanting to join the Union.
But that’s not all. At the beginning of this year, Hungary also passed legislation to ban Pride events. This ban is the first of its kind in Europe, and a severe restriction on the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. However, Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony has announced that the Pride march will be organized as a municipal event by the city, which means the ban will not affect it.
As MEPs of The Left in the European Parliament, we are going to Budapest Pride on 28 June to show our support to all the people in Hungary fighting against Orbán’s oppression. At the same time, it is important to stress that this is not only about Pride — it’s about the ongoing oppression of workers, minorities, academics, and journalists. As we have seen time and again, authoritarian powers begin to restrict rights and freedoms by targeting the most marginalised people, those whose voices are weaker. But they never stop there. This is why it is about all of our rights.
It is also why the European Union must act much more strongly and decisively. The EU must use all the tools available under Article 7 of the EU Treaty, including freezing funds and suspending Hungary’s voting rights. Additionally, the Commission must initiate legal proceedings regarding the ban on Pride events. We cannot go on like this.