The opposition in Hungary has called for an additional parliamentary vote on Sweden’s NATO membership on Monday.
It is only the NATO countries Hungary and Turkey that have still not voted yes to the Swedish application.
But the ruling party Fidesz and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will not join. Their politicians will not show up.
Opposition politician Agnes Vadai therefore calls the prime minister “Putin’s servant”. on Facebook. She believes the boycott in Hungary serves Russia and not NATO.
Agnes Vadai, leader of the left-wing opposition party The Democratic Coalition (DK), believes that the parliament must vote yes to Swedish NATO membership as soon as possible.
Photo: Marton Monus / AP
– This has been done many times before, but Fidesz members have never come there and voted at all, says Sara Svensson. She is a Hungary expert and political scientist at the University of Halmstad.
– The most likely thing is that they will be so few that they cannot hold the vote at all, she says.
Hungary expert Sara Svensson at the University of Halmstad believes it is not surprising that the ruling party does not give in to the opposition’s extra call for a vote in parliament.
Photo: Private
The government in Hungary has postponed the issue of Swedish NATO membership for over a year, which the opposition believes is unnecessary.
– It will be huge news if this suddenly happens on Monday. Otherwise, this is politics as usual in Hungary, says university lecturer Svensson.
Professor Paal Sigurd Hilde at the Department of Defense Studies agrees with that.
– As far as I can understand, this is some kind of domestic political maneuver in Hungary and, in the worst case, will contribute to further delay. Unlike Turkey, Hungary has not come up with any clear arguments for why ratification is taking time, says Hilde.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan represent the only two NATO countries that still have not approved Sweden’s NATO application. Both leaders have said they will do it this autumn. Here during a meeting in Ankara in Turkey in March this year.
Photo: Turkish Presidential Office / AP
– Play for the gallery
Sweden received a yes from Turkey for NATO membership during the NATO summit in Vilnius earlier this month. It is expected that the Turkish parliament will formally approve Sweden’s application in October.
It happens after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a number of demands on Sweden in order to be approved.
But unlike Turkey, Hungary has not made any demands on Sweden.
– Fidesz’s top leaders say that they are in favor of Sweden’s membership, but they want to wait until the autumn. Fidesz always tends to speak with one voice, says Sara Svensson.
The three parties Turkey, Sweden and NATO met today before the NATO summit officially started in July this year. Hungary has said it will follow Turkey when the country votes yes.
Photo: Born
– This seems like a game for the gallery. They want to postpone this for as long as possible, she says and continues:
– They believe it is unnecessary to interrupt the summer holidays to do this now.
Svensson believes the ruling Fidesz party is using the NATO vote as a bargaining chip.
– As long as they have not supported Sweden’s NATO application, there is room for negotiation. But whether it is against Sweden or against Turkey, it is difficult to know.
Facts about Viktor Orbán
Expand/minimize fact box
* Hungarian politician (60). Prime Minister from 1998 to 2002 and since 2010.
* Graduated in law from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest.
* Born 31 May 1963. Married, five children.
* Started his political career as a student leader in the anti-communist demonstrations in 1989.
* Leader and founder of the conservative party Fidesz since 1988.
* In the 2010 election, Fidesz received a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, which they held until 2015, this gave the party the power to get through a controversial new constitution in 2012, which opponents believe undermines democracy.
* Orban’s government has often been in conflict with the EU, of which Hungary has been a part since 2004. Among other things, Hungary refuses to accept the quota of refugees the EU has allocated to them.
* After the 2018 election, which Fidesz won by a landslide, tens of thousands protested against Orban, demanding a free press and changes to the electoral law. The backdrop was that critics of the government believed that the press had been made a mouthpiece for the government. They also believed that the votes should be counted again.
In addition, the boycott of the vote is about not giving the opposition politicians attention, Svensson believes.
– The opposition wants attention, which is why they use this tool to summon parliament. Fidesz simply won’t give them that, says the university lecturer.
The Swedish researcher Sara Svensson believes that the ruling party Fidesz is using the NATO vote as a bargaining chip. the party also does not want to give the opposition party attention, she says.
Photo: Private
Will not stand on my knees in Brussels
Hungary expert Sara Svensson believes that Hungary will vote yes to Swedish membership, but that it will not happen immediately.
– Hungary has said that they will not vote last, but it could happen, she says.
In terms of foreign policy, the country wants to have a good relationship with several different powers. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán himself has stated that it is important that the country is not dominated by one major power.
Turkey contributes NATO’s second largest military capacity. Surpassed only by the USA, albeit with three times the amount.
Photo: AP
– They can not only be facing the West, but also against other regional powers such as Turkey. Hungary has a more Russia-friendly policy than other countries. They have also worked on the relationship with China, says Svensson.
– Hungary will not stand on its knees for the EU in Brussels, but rather stand up for itself and create its place in the world with relations with several powers, she says.
2023-07-29 13:46:11
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