The newly elected chairman of the European People's Party (EPP), Donald Tusk, says that a group of prominent ‘wise men’ will evaluate the EPP membership of the Hungarian ruling party Fidesz. The prominent Christian Democrats will release a report before the end of the year. “Then I will start intensive consultations and we will make a decision by the end of January,” Tusk said.
During a speech at the EPP congress in Zagreb, Tusk sharply criticized “political populists, manipulators and autocrats.” He did not name the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán directly, but it was clear that his message was aimed at the thorn in the side of the EPP.
The Fidesz party was temporarily suspended from the EPP earlier this year, ahead of the European elections, due to the ongoing anti-European criticism from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. There was also criticism in many EU countries regarding how the Fidesz party has more or less turned Hungary into a one-party state.
Within the EPP, some express concern about the possible removal of Orbán from the European party alliance. There are fears that this could drive him into the arms of extremists, while the EPP would also lose the twelve seats that Fidesz currently holds in the European Parliament.
Polish Donald Tusk was chairman of the European Council for the past five years, leading the summits of presidents and prime ministers. He will be succeeded as EU president by Belgian liberal former Prime Minister Michel.
The former Polish Prime Minister has devoted himself to the European cause over recent years, and many hope he will use this passion to set the EPP on a new course. The EPP is the largest political group in Europe but has also suffered a loss of votes due to the rise of populist and extremist parties.
The host of the EPP congress was Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. In his opening speech, he referred to the controversial decision to not admit North Macedonia and Albania. He called it a ‘regrettable mistake’. In the coming six months, as Croatia undertakes the rotating EU presidency, he can reinforce his words with action.
Plenković has received support from six countries (Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Italy). The foreign ministers of these six countries are not opposed to revising the accession procedure, which is the reason why French President Macron blocked negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.