The European Commission is under scrutiny by members of Hungary’s FIDESZ–KDNP group in the European Parliament, who claim the body has been silent on recent constitutional and political shifts in Hungary that may threaten democratic frameworks. During a recent joint session of the European Parliament’s Committees on Budgets and Budgetary Control, Hungarian MEPs Tamás Deutsch, Csaba Dömötör, and András László urged the Commission to address concerns about constitutional amendments and their implications on democracy.
The FIDESZ–KDNP delegation has called for clarity on several issues, including potential restrictions on political competition, changes impacting parliamentary mandates, and the autonomy of state institutions. They have noted that while the Commission had previously expressed concerns over the rule of law in Hungary and even withheld EU funding, there has been no response to these recent developments.
These Hungarian lawmakers are questioning whether the constitutional changes align with European democratic standards, raising concerns about the consistency of these amendments with the principles upheld by the European Union. They argue that democratic principles should be uniformly enforced across all member states of the EU.
During the hearing, Commission representatives refrained from offering detailed answers to the questions posed by the Hungarian MEPs. This lack of response has prompted further calls for the Commission to take a definitive stance on the issues at hand, particularly in light of the broader implications for the EU’s commitment to maintaining democratic principles.