Call For Orban Party To Be Excluded By EU Centre-right
Muhammad Irfan Published April 02, 2020 | 09:08 PM
Thirteen European centre-right parties called Thursday for their political group to expel Hungary's ruling Fidesz party after its leader Prime Minister Viktor Orban assumed emergency powers
Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Apr, 2020 ) :Thirteen European centre-right parties called Thursday for their political group to expel Hungary's ruling Fidesz party after its leader Prime Minister Viktor Orban assumed emergency powers.
Orban insists he must rule by decree in order to tackle the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. But many, including some of his allies in the European Peoples Party (EPP), say his power grab has gone too far.
The Scandinavian, Greek, Belgian, Lithuanian Czech and Slovak conservatives who signed Thursday's statement calling for Fidesz to be kicked out of the EPP do not represent a majority of the group.
But their letter strengthens the hand of its addressee, party chairman Donald Tusk, the former Polish leader and president of the European Council, who is pushing the EPP to distance itself from Orban.
The signatories call on the EU executive, the European Commission, to "address the situation in Hungary forcefully" and brand Orban's move a "violation of the founding principles of liberal democracy and European values".
Shortly before the parties' letter was made public, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said she was "particularly concerned" about Hungary and promised to monitor the situation.
And 13 EU members, including heavyweights France and Germany, without explicitly naming Hungary, warned Wednesday against "violations of the principles of rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights".
The EPP is the biggest single voting bloc in the European Parliament and the party of both von der Leyen and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel.
But it is not in itself a majority, and some EPP parties have wanted to keep Orban's Hungarian MEPs on board in the centre-right grouping to avoid them siding with eurosceptic populists.
Germany's ruling CDU party was not among the group of parties that issued the joint call for Fidesz's expulsion, and Orban has been lobbying its leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, to back him over Tusk.
The letter was signed, however, by the leaders of 13 conservative or centre-right parties, including two serving prime ministers; Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece and Erna Solberg of Norway.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Housing Ministry prioritizes transparency in providing accommodation to federal ..
NGO donates wheelchairs to enhance accessibility & mobility for patients
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif launches expanded health service progr ..
Minister highlights major health projects launched by CM Maryam
Mongolian envoy for boosting bilateral economic ties
GKMC achieves hundred percent results in MBBS examination
Secretary Human Rights Dept calls for setting up district level offices
Vaccination play effective role to prevent the spread of typhoid: Rashid Khan
Drive lunched to educate on proper household waste disposal
PFA destroys 300kg of dead chicken
Sindh Govt committed to clean the environment of Karachi: Mayor Karachi
Langov annoyed over law and order in Balochsitan
More Stories From World
-
Panama president-elect pledges to deport migrants who cross Darien Gap
1 hour ago -
Top opponent of India PM Modi leaves prison on bail
2 hours ago -
ICUBE-Q's initial images from space a historic day: Ambassador Hashmi
2 hours ago -
Third week of evidence wraps at Trump's criminal trial
3 hours ago -
Madinah : 3,485 Pakistani Hujjaj arrive in seamless flight operation
3 hours ago -
UN, EU officials condemn 'escalation' of violence against UNRWA
3 hours ago
-
Russia attacks Ukraine's northeast in new ground offensive
3 hours ago -
Reasons to experience magic of Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival this weekend
4 hours ago -
Paris officer 'between life and death' after police station shooting
4 hours ago -
Rafah offensive would lead to 'humanitarian disaster': UN chief
4 hours ago -
Taylor Swift fever grips Paris at start of Europe tour
4 hours ago -
S.Africa's top court hears critical Zuma election case
4 hours ago