The European Union (EU) may consider stripping Hungary of its voting rights in order to preserve the future of the union, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib has argued. This move comes as Budapest is set to take over the EU Council’s rotating presidency in July, a role currently held by Belgium.
Lahbib’s proposal highlights growing frustration among certain member states regarding Hungary’s opposition to key EU plans, such as supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. In order to ensure that Hungary complies with the bloc’s values and principles, Lahbib suggests activating Article 7 of the EU Treaty – a measure often referred to as the “nuclear option” for member states that breach the union’s values.
The European Parliament voted in 2018 to initiate the Article 7 procedure against Hungary, accusing Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government of undermining the rule of law through alleged attacks on the media and judiciary. However, this process has stalled due to disagreements among EU member states.
Orban has been a vocal critic of Western support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. He argues that providing weapons to Kiev against Moscow has not succeeded in stopping hostilities, and that sanctions have had more negative consequences on the European Union than on Russia itself. Hungary has repeatedly used its veto power to block trade restrictions on Russia, which it considers detrimental to Hungarian interests, as well as restricting funding for Ukraine.
Lahbib accuses the Orban government of adopting an increasingly “transactional, blocking and veto attitude” towards the bloc’s affairs. In her view, this is a crucial moment for the EU – if Article 7 is activated in full force, it must be effective; if not, the mechanism may need reform.
Hungary is currently the only EU member facing such proceedings. In May, Brussels dropped a similar inquiry into Poland’s domestic policies after Warsaw changed its stance on various issues, aligning itself more closely with the European Union. This shift was attributed to the return of Donald Tusk – a longtime supporter of the EU and former president of the European Council – as Polish prime minister in December 2019.