Fidesz luminaries allegedly concerned over rift with the EPP
May 11th, 2019A liberal news reporter quotes unnamed sources as saying that several leading Fidesz politicians are alarmed by the sight of their party drifting away from the European People’s Party.
In Népszava, András Kósa, who formerly wrote for liberal outlets, and is now a leading news reporter for the left-wing nationwide daily, writes that Fidesz ‘is far from being united behind the Prime Minister’ in his increasingly tense relations with the EPP. Kósa portrays Mr Orbán’s moves on the international stage as those of a man intent on ‘provoking a break’ with the EPP. In any case, he continues, the Hungarian PM and Fidesz leader sympathises more and more openly with the new nationalist group Italian League leader Matteo Salvini intends to set up within the European parliament. He quotes sources who allege that an unnamed leading Fidesz politician told diplomats behind closed doors that he (or she) is concerned by Fidesz distancing itself from the People’s Party. He (or she) also considers some of Salvini’s allies, including French National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and Germany’s AfD party unacceptable as partners. Kósa interprets Justice Minister Trócsányi’s repeated meetings with EPP Vice Chairman Michel Barnier as an example of some Fidesz politicians engaging in a ‘rescue mission’. However, he adds, behind such meetings one might also suspect that Mr Barnier will eventually emerge as the real EPP candidate to head the European Commission, replacing the current top candidate Manfred Weber, who has recently been at loggerheads with Mr Orbán.