The European Union is discussing an action plan in case Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wins the elections on April 12. This was reported by Politico.
Source: Censor.NET
The publication notes that Orbán has long been a “stumbling block for the EU.” His blocking of the €90 billion loan to Ukraine, approved in December, has become a particularly tense point.
Key EU options if Orbán wins:
Changing the voting procedure
Expanding the use of qualified majority voting is one of the most discussed options. Currently, many key EU decisions require unanimous support from all member states. New rules would allow decisions to pass if supported by at least 55% of countries representing 65% of the EU population. This would reduce the ability of individual countries to block political decisions.
Different forms of cooperation
Diplomats propose broader use of flexible formats — from informal coalitions of willing countries to enhanced cooperation among smaller groups of states. This mechanism would allow countries to move forward on certain political or economic issues without the participation of all EU members. Diplomats emphasize that this should remain an exception, not the new norm.
Strengthening enforcement and financial pressure
In cases of rule-of-law violations, payments could be suspended or funding blocked. Budapest has already stated it would veto stricter rule-of-law conditions related to EU funds or even cut the entire budget if necessary.
Suspension of voting rights
Article 7 of the EU treaties allows for the suspension of a member state’s voting rights in case of violations of the bloc’s values. This requires support from the remaining 26 countries, but there is a risk that, for example, Slovakia may not support such a decision.
Expulsion from the EU
This scenario is considered the least realistic. There is no precedent, and most diplomats view it as politically dangerous since Hungary could deepen cooperation with Russia.