Europe

Lucinda Creighton: Orbán’s selective EU loyalty is about to cost him dearly

The Hungarian prime minister is pushing back against new EU regulations which make the receipt of funding conditional on adhering to the bloc’s democratic values – but this tactic may not last for much longer

Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister, is blocking the disbursement of urgently needed aid for Ukraine, using his veto to attempt to force the EU into giving in to his demands. Picture: Getty

Tensions between Hungary and the European institutions, along with governments of EU member states, have rumbled on for almost a decade at this stage.

After a successful general election performance in 2010, Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister, returned to office for a second time. From that point on he commenced a programme of centralising power in the Hungarian government, taking steps to reduce judicial and media independence, strengthening the position of his party by ...