European Parliament lawmakers call on EU to strip Hungary of voting rights over PM Viktor Orban's recent visits to Moscow and Beijing

cross-posted from: feddit.org/post/859686

A group of 63 European Parliament lawmakers has asked the EU to withdraw Hungary’s voting rights in the bloc, in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent visits to Moscow and Beijing.

Orban met U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump last week and earlier travelled to Ukraine, then Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin Moscow and Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, on a self-styled “peace mission” to end the war in Ukraine.

Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency this month, and is responsible for organising meetings of EU countries - collectively known to as the “council” of the EU - until Dec. 31.

The lawmakers said Orban had deliberately implied he was acting on behalf of the entire EU, despite not having the authority to do this.

“Prime Minister Orban has already caused significant damage by exploiting and abusing the role of the Council Presidency,” said the letter.