EU Lawmakers Urge Germany to Support Suspension of Hungary’s Voting Rights in EU Sanctions Policy
In the wake of the ongoing debate on the extension of Russia’s frozen assets, EU lawmakers are calling on Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul to take a stance in support of suspending Hungary’s voting rights in the EU’s sanctions policy. The move, reported by the German news magazine Spiegel, is seen as crucial in achieving the necessary unanimity in the EU’s decision-making process.
In a letter to the Foreign Minister, Green Party’s Daniel Freund and the Free Democratic Party’s Moritz Körner emphasized that Hungary’s government has been systematically dismantling the rule of law, hollowing out democratic institutions and building a corrupt power structure. They referenced the coalition agreement of the German government, which pledged to apply existing protection instruments, including the potential revocation of Hungary’s voting rights in the EU, more consistently.
The lawmakers urged the Foreign Minister to work with like-minded member states to establish a finding of severe and persistent breaches by Hungary, thereby justifying the suspension of its voting rights. A meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council, where the issue of Hungary’s voting rights will be discussed, is scheduled for May 27.