The EP has sent a clear message to the Hungarian government, party leader Gyula Molnár said, adding that the vote was the result of the government’s “antidemocratic decisions”, the planned law on NGOs and the “attack” against free universities.

The process of suspending Hungary’s voting rights has started, which is an unprecedented situation, Molnár said. The decision was made not by Brussels and not by US financier George Soros but by the EP, with supporting votes also from conservatives, he added.

From this moment, what’s at stake in the 2018 elections is choosing between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Europe, he said.

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) said in reaction to the EP vote that if Orbán remained premier next year, Hungary could “bid farewell to its EU membership”.

DK spokesman Zsolt Gréczy told a press conference that the fact that the EP resolution was also supported by MEPs of the European People’s Party, the EP grouping to which Fidesz belongs, showed that Orbán was left without supporters in Europe.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Biró István