Tag: Hungarian constitution

In this opinion piece, Hungarian minister Enikő Győri reacts to criticism by Liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt on Hungary's constitutional changes. EurActiv has suggested that the debate continues on video.

The gradual erosion in Hungary of the fundamental checks and balances of a democratic society is not going unnoticed, writes Guy Verhofstadt.

The European Commission accused Hungary of nonconformity with EU legislation and breaches of the rule of law during a plenary debate in the European Parliament yesterday (17 April) in Strasbourg. The country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán paid a visit to the parliament the previous day.

European political parties must act responsibly and not give cover for members of their own political parties, British MEP Graham Watson, president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, tells EurActiv.

Thousands of Hungarians protested in central Budapest on Saturday (9 March) against imminent changes to the country's constitution which they fear would curb democratic rights, echoing worries this week from the European Union and the United States.

The Venice Commission, a Council of Europe body specialised in constitutional matters, found yesterday (19 March) "numerous problematic elements" in the laws regulating Hungary's judicial system and even called for amending the country's new constitution. 

The European Parliament has decided to draw up a report on whether EU laws and values are respected in Hungary, after Budapest passed controversial state reforms that are widely seen as undemocratic. MEPs will later decide whether to activate Article 7 of the EU Treaty, which is used to investigate breaches of EU values. 

The announced arrival in Strasbourg of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán today (18 January) has eclipsed any other highlights of the first session of the European Parliament for 2012. EurActiv France reports from Strasbourg.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is “abusing” his power and eroding democracy, which may lead to the country losing its EU membership, former US Ambassador Mark Palmer told a Hungarian daily newspaper today (2 January). 

A group of Hungarian intellectuals have called on US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to speak out against what they called their country's "autocratic system" during her visit to Budapest this week.

Hungary's Fidesz party pushed a new constitution through parliament yesterday (18 April), bypassing an opposition boycott over complaints the move lacked consensus and will cement Fidesz power beyond the end of its term.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented in Brussels yesterday (14 April) his country's accomplishments halfway through its EU presidency. Pre-empting tough questions on Hungarian internal politics, Orbán lashed out at some of Europe's "absurdities".

Feeble disapproval was voiced at a presentation of Hungary's draft new constitution in the European Parliament yesterday (29 March), with the organisers – from Hungary's ruling centre-right parties – benefiting from the absence of socialist MEPs.

The new Hungarian constitution will be ready on 15 March and will be adopted a month later, its main author, centre-right MEP József Szájer – who wrote part of it on his iPad – told EurActiv in an interview. The country's opposition claims the procedure for adopting the new constitution is illegitimate and the controversy could impact upon the Hungarian EU Presidency.