Hungary is no longer a full democracy, but an ‘elected autocracy’, MEPs have stated in a new report.
Hungary is no longer a fully functioning democracy, members of the European Parliament declared on Thursday in a non-binding but highly symbolic report.
Instead, the country should be considered a “hybrid regime of elected autocracy” in which elections are held regularly but without respecting basic democratic norms.
“There is a growing consensus among experts that Hungary is no longer a democracy,” the lawmakers said, citing a series of international indices that have “downgraded” Hungary’s status in recent years.
In their resolution, MEPs point the finger directly at Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been in power since 2010, and condemn his government’s “deliberate and systematic efforts” to undermine the EU’s core values.
Lawmakers raise concerns about a long list of fundamental rights they believe are under threat, including the electoral system, judicial independence, privacy, freedom of expression, media pluralism, academic freedom, LGBTIQ rights and minority protection and asylum seekers.
MEPs also criticized EU institutions for allowing the unchecked return of “democratic backwardness”.
The parliament “deeply regrets that the lack of decisive EU action has contributed to a breakdown of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary, turning the country into a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy,” the report said. intermediate.
The text passed by a wide margin on Thursday: 433 votes in favor, 123 against and 28 abstentions.