EU Sues Hungary Over 'National Sovereignty' Law

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Oct 03, 2024

Above: General view of the European Quarter buildings in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept. 30, 2024. Image copyright: Alberto Pezzali/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Imagesstory last updated Oct 04

The Facts

After opening an inquiry into Hungary's "protecting national sovereignty" law in February, the European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday that "most of the grievances identified have still not been addressed."
The law, passed by the right-wing Fidesz party-controlled Parliament, banned foreign donations to Hungarian election campaigns and established an office to inspect foreign-funded organizations, including with the help of national intelligence agencies.

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

As a part of the EU, Hungary is supposed to promote European values, but this law goes against the fundamental human rights of political and journalistic freedom. This law not only allows for intrusive investigations into political groups, opposition parties, and universities but also publicly identifies those under scrutiny, stigmatizing them nationally. Budapest cannot be allowed to threaten its citizens just because they oppose the ruling party.

Journal of Democracy

Establishment-critical narrative

The EU no longer truly believes in European values, which is why it treats the current Hungarian government unfairly. This law was first created in response to the US covertly funding nongovernmental organizations with alleged links to the US Democratic Party, which is a blatant violation of national sovereignty. As the elites in Washington and Brussels push for more war across the globe and radical social ideologies at home, Budapest is simply trying to retain its beloved culture and values.