A delegation comprising five members of parliament from various factions, including liberal, green, left, social democratic, and Christian democratic parties, visited Hungary from Monday to Wednesday to assess recent developments related to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights. The European Parliament plans to release a report in the fall as part of the Article 7 procedure initiated against Budapest in 2018.
The mission was conducted in a challenging environment. “I can’t recall having such a difficult experience during discussions with representatives from majority parties or the authorities,” remarked Wilmès. “Even neutral inquiries about operational matters were met with hostile responses.”
Throughout their visit, the delegation engaged in discussions with members of both the ruling and opposition parties, the mayor of Budapest, and a minister overseeing European affairs. However, the ministers of Justice and Interior declined requests for meetings. Around twenty NGOs participated in various dialogues as well.
During the discussions, Wilmès voiced her significant concerns regarding the increasing frequency of constitutional amendments passed through emergency procedures. She highlighted how the two-thirds parliamentary majority held by Viktor Orban’s government is being used to justify infringements on democratic norms.
Recently, parliament approved an amendment aimed at safeguarding the mental and moral well-being of children. Observers, however, believe this is a move designed to prohibit pride parades for the LGBTQ+ community. Human rights advocates are also apprehensive that this amendment could lead to broader restrictions on public gatherings, thereby stifacing all forms of protest.
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