MEP Wilmès denounces 'striking hostility' during mission to Hungary

16 April 2025

Belgian MEP Sophie Wilmès has denounced the hostility faced by a European Parliament delegation during a mission to Hungary. The talks with Hungarian representatives amounted to a "dialogue of the deaf", she said.

A delegation of five MEPs travelled to Hungary from Monday to Wednesday to assess recent developments in democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. The European Parliament is due to publish a report in the autumn as part of the Article 7 procedure launched against the country in 2018.

Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union allows for the possibility of suspending EU membership rights if a country seriously and persistently breaches the principles on which the EU is founded, including respect for freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.

Questions met with attacks

The visit took place in a tense atmosphere. "I don't think I've ever had such a difficult experience in discussions with representatives of majority parties or authorities," said Wilmès, a member of the liberal Renew Europe group. "Even neutral questions about how things work were met with attacks."

The delegation met with majority and opposition MPs, the mayor of Budapest and a minister responsible for European affairs. Hungary's Justice and Interior ministers refused to meet the MEPs. Some 20 NGOs also took part in several meetings.

Ban on Pride parades

During the talks, Wilmès expressed her "deep concern" about the increasing number of constitutional amendments through emergency procedures and the use of the two-thirds parliamentary majority at the disposal of Viktor Orban's regime to justify violations of democratic principles.

The Hungarian parliament recently approved an amendment, ostensibly to protect the mental and moral development of children, that observers say is aimed at banning Pride parades by the LGBTQ+ community.

Human rights activists fear that the amendment will also lead to a wider ban on public gatherings, silencing all forms of protest. At the end of the mission, the delegation called on the European Commission to take steps to ensure that dissidents can gather peacefully in Hungary.