Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s address to the European Parliament emphasizing the need for control over illegal immigration has caused a significant backlash from leftist and globalist factions in Strasbourg. During his speech, the Hungarian leader focused on the issue of immigration, stating that the “EU’s asylum system does not work today.” Orbán argued that the open borders agenda favored by Brussels has led to increased antisemitism, homophobia, and violence against women across Europe. The prime minister also suggested establishing migrant “hotspots” in third-party countries to handle asylum requests offshore, similar to the “Remain in Mexico” policy of the Trump administration. Orbán called for the creation of regular Schengen Summits, where member states could discuss new ways to improve border controls.
The speech generated a strong response from globalist and leftist politicians, who accused Orbán of being a dictator and having ties to Beijing and Moscow. Some even questioned Hungary’s adherence to EU law due to its restrictions on transgenderism in child entertainment. In response to these accusations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen criticized Orbán for his continued advocacy for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and accused Hungary of pushing the problem of illegal immigration onto other EU nations by refusing to accept the illegal migrant redistribution scheme. Von der Leyen called for increased “European cooperation” as the solution to the issue.
Hungarian MEPs, as well as allies such as Polish MEP Tomasz Buczek and Czech MEP Klara Dostalova, defended Orbán and his policies, criticizing leftist politicians for their outbursts and demanding that Hungary be allowed to continue its efforts in making Europe great again.