MEPs To Vote On Hungary H224 Council Presidency

This afternoon, MEPs are set to vote on a member resolution intended to prevent Hungary assuming the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in H224. The resolution states that the Parliament, "Underlines the important role of the presidency of the Council in driving forward the Council’s work on EU legislation, [...]; questions how Hungary will be able to credibly fulfil this task in 2024, in view of its non-compliance with EU law[...]; asks the Council to find a proper solution as soon as possible; recalls that Parliament could take appropriate measures if such a solution is not found;" Vote expected at around 1100CET (0500ET/1000BST).

• Speaking to Politico, Greman Green MEP Daniel Freund - who co-authored the resolution - stated that the parliament could, “boycott the Hungarian presidency” by refusing to give Orbán or his ministers a stage, or even ceasing legislative work. “If the Council puts an autocrat in front of us … who has repeatedly called for the European Parliament to be abolished — then we won’t enter into these debates,”
• The resolution should pass comfortably given that it has the support of five political groups, including the centre-right European People's Party in which Hungarian PM Viktor Orban's Fidesz Party once say, which in total represent over 500 of the 703 MEPs.
• The vote will not have any impact on Article 7 proceedings against Hungary or on the freezing of certain funds from the EU to Budapest.