Walking the Walk: The EU Is Losing Patience With Its Hungarian Problem Child
NEED TO KNOW
Walking the Walk: The EU Is Losing Patience With Its Hungarian Problem Child
HUNGARY
In January, when Hungary’s six-month presidency of the Council of European Union ended, the European Union wasted no time in sanctioning the country: It immediately canceled $1 billion in aid because of rule-of-law violations, namely a failure to tackle corruption.
It was only the latest salvo against the country, which has been a thorn in the bloc’s side for years.
“Hungary’s status (in the EU) was downgraded overnight from rotating EU president to EU pariah,” wrote the European Consortium for Political Research. “The EU has investigated Hungary’s potential breach of European values since 2018… It has taken until now, however, for it to impose any costs.”
After the fall of communism in 1989, Hungary joined the EU in 2004 and was a liberal democracy until 2010, say analysts, when Viktor Orbán, who first served as prime minister from 1998 to 2002, returned to power with his conservative Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Alliance party, when he and his party began transforming Hungary into an “illiberal” democracy: His administration has undermined judicial independence, upended civil liberties and press freedoms, cracked down on independent institutions and dissent, and hijacked all levers of power in the country, according to Freedom House.
As a result, the EU has repeatedly threatened fines, legal action and aid to the country. In 2022, it withheld almost $30 billion in aid before partially releasing it to gain Hungary’s agreement to abstain from a vote on support for Ukraine, a situation EU officials call “blackmail” and one that has become increasingly frequent: Hungary blocks more than half of the EU’s foreign policy decisions until it gets what it wants, observers say.
But now that the EU is gearing up to go it alone on Ukraine in the wake of the Trump administration’s lack of interest in defending Europe, it’s increasingly wondering what to do about the sole country that threatens its unified stance.
“The EU is simultaneously facing the biggest external threat to its security since its creation and division within its ranks by member states more committed to their narrow interests and relationship with Moscow than to their responsibilities as EU members,” wrote Carnegie Europe. “By leaving Hungary unpunished …Brussels is normalizing blackmail and asking for more of it.”
Now, the calls to punish – or even eject – Hungary are growing again.
Last week, the majority of EU countries said they want to crack down on Hungary over Orbán’s plan to ban upcoming Pride celebrations in Budapest, Politico reported. At the same time, diplomats told the news outlet they want to deploy the “nuclear option” against Hungary over its obstructionism on Ukraine, namely stripping Hungary of its voting rights on bloc matters.
Some say the bloc should go further.
“It’s high time for the European Union to deal with the one member-state that obviously doesn’t belong in the EU: Hungary,” wrote Alexander Motyl of Rutgers University in the Hill. “It has repeatedly made it clear that it prefers the company of dictators such as Russia’s illegitimately elected president, Vladimir Putin, to that of the ‘degenerate West.’”
There has long been discussion about expelling Hungary from the bloc, with some of it spilling into public view.
The problem, analysts say, is that there is no clear EU procedure to eject the country or any country, unless it wants to leave.
It doesn’t, say observers.
Orbán needs the EU because it allows Hungary to punch above its weight internationally, say analysts. Also, Hungary gets billions of euros each year from the EU that help keep its economy afloat.
“For Orbán, EU money is existential because it keeps him in power,” wrote the Journal of Democracy. “His ability to dole out EU funds through public contracts to loyal supporters solidifies his rule.”
Meanwhile, more than 70 percent of Hungarians support EU membership.
Short of expelling Hungary, EU officials have already found a way to sideline it on certain votes. Now it is seriously considering suspending Hungary’s voting rights, which it can do “if a country seriously and persistently breaches the principles on which the EU is founded,” noted George Kyris of the University of Birmingham in the Conversation.
It has been tried before against Hungary, unsuccessfully. However, there is new momentum to isolate Hungary now.
Still, Orbán says in doing so, the EU is just isolating itself.
“The European Union has isolated itself from the US, isolated itself from China because of the trade war, and isolated itself from Russia because of the sanction policy,” the Hungarian leader said recently. “So if someone is isolated here, it’s the European Union. Hungary has good relations to all three directions, so we are not isolated at all.”
THE WORLD, BRIEFLY
Hamas Requests Changes Of US-Backed Ceasefire Proposal
ISRAEL/ WEST BANK & GAZA
Hamas responded to a US-brokered ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip over the weekend, asking to amend it, prompting a sharp rejection from US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, as Israeli strikes continued across the enclave, Reuters reported.
Last week, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff unveiled a proposal that would institute a 60-day truce between Hamas and Israel, release 28 of the 58 remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for more than 1,200 Palestinian prisoners, and increase humanitarian aid entering the enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to the plan in principle, while Hamas initially said they would study the draft.
Top Hamas official Bassem Naim claimed that it “does not respond to any of our people’s demands, foremost among which is stopping the war and famine,” Euronews wrote.
On Saturday, Hamas announced that while it supports the framework in general, it requested a series of changes: These include giving Gazan residents unrestricted travel through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, the restoration of water, electricity, and sanitation infrastructure, and permission to import materials to rebuild hospitals, schools, and bakeries.
The group also called for the United Nations, Red Crescent and other aid groups to deliver food and supplies under the proposed truce. Another key – and contentious – point was the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza – a demand that Israel has repeatedly rejected.
Witkoff described the Hamas position as “totally unacceptable” and said it undermines talks that could begin in the coming days.
Naim countered that the US position reflects “complete bias” toward Israel and questioned why only Israel’s response is treated as negotiable. Even so, he denied any rejection of the US proposal.
Amid the ongoing disputes, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is continuing to deteriorate, UN officials said.
On Saturday, the World Food Programme said 77 aid trucks were looted by desperate civilians, CBS News added.
The UN warned earlier this month that Gaza is the “hungriest place on Earth,” and that “only consistent, large-scale aid can rebuild trust.” Aid efforts remain stymied by Israeli restrictions, insecurity, and looting.
Meanwhile, the newly formed US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is facing resistance from the relief groups that operate in the enclave over neutrality concerns.
Also over the weekend, Arab foreign ministers condemned Israel’s decision to block their planned visit to the West Bank.
The officials had planned to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah in a show of support amid the Gaza conflict, the Times of Israel reported.
Tens of Thousands of Nepalese Demand Return Of Monarchy
NEPAL
Nepal’s government on Sunday banned protests in Kathmandu after tens of thousands of pro-monarchist supporters took to the streets of the capital over the weekend to demand the return of the former king and the abolition of the current republic, the Press Trust of India reported.
On Sunday, the government announced restrictions on demonstrations and other public gatherings in most parts of the city for the next two months. Officials said the decision is aimed at avoiding the disruption of business activities and transportation services caused by continued pro-monarchy supporters.
Demonstrations began Thursday with around 20,000 protesters waving flags and chanting slogans in favor of the return of the former monarch, Gyanendra Shah, as well as the restoration of Hinduism as Nepal’s state religion, the Associated Press reported.
Counter-demonstrators – supporters of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli – also marched in the capital in support of the republic, prompting authorities to deploy hundreds of riot police to avoid clashes between the two groups.
On Sunday, police arrested and later released former Home Minister Kamal Thapa and about half a dozen others protesting in favor of the monarchy after they attempted to enter a restricted area in the capital.
Nepal abolished the monarchy in 2008, two years after mass protests forced Gyanendra to abdicate.
However, the Himalayan nation has seen a series of demonstrations in recent months calling for the restoration of the monarchy: The last demonstrations took place in late March, resulting in the deaths of two people and a series of arrests.
Royalist groups claim that many Nepalese have grown frustrated with the current form of government, accusing the country’s political parties of corruption and failed governance.
Gyanendra – who now lives as a commoner – has not commented on the call for his return.
Saudi Arabia And Qatar Offer More Help To Syria
SYRIA
Saudi Arabia and Qatar will offer joint financial support to Syria’s state employees, the latest international effort to revitalize the war-torn Middle Eastern country following more than a decade of civil conflict, Al Jazeera reported.
On Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud announced the move during a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
While he did not disclose the exact amount the two Gulf nations would provide to Syria, his statement comes after Syrian officials said last month that Qatar will bankroll the Syrian public sector with $29 million per month for an initial three months, Reuters added.
The two Gulf countries have become the biggest regional supporters of Syria’s new government and interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose militia ousted longtime President Bashar Assad in December after nearly 14 years of war. Last month, Riyadh and Doha paid off Syria’s debt of around $15 million to the World Bank.
The debt payment came as the Trump administration announced it would lift sanctions imposed on Syria during Assad’s regime. The European Union also lifted most sanctions.
Following Assad’s ouster, al-Sharaa and his administration have sought to rebuild Syria’s diplomatic ties and revive the country’s war-torn economy.
The United Nations Development Fund estimated that Syria would need more than five decades to return to its pre-war economy, adding that around 90 percent of the population currently lives in poverty.
Al-Sharaa – who was previously affiliated with extremist groups, such as al Qaeda – has repeatedly sought to assure Western nations that he has cut ties with jihadist groups and has expressed support for minorities in the country.
However, the new government has been hit with outbreaks of deadly sectarian violence, leading to hundreds of deaths.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian security forces over the weekend, the first since Assad was ousted, CNN wrote.
The terrorist group previously held large swaths of Syrian territory until the end of 2017.
DISCOVERIES
The End of the World
The end of the universe just got a little closer, at least on a cosmic timescale.
Scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands calculated that the final stellar remnants in the universe – white dwarf stars – will evaporate about 10^78 years from now.
That is a one followed by 78 zeroes.
While it’s still unfathomably far off, it’s much earlier than the previous estimate of 10^1100 years.
“So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,” lead author Heino Falcke said in a statement.
The new estimate followed a review of the Hawking radiation, the phenomenon proposed by Stephen Hawking in the 1970s, suggesting that black holes slowly emit radiation and evaporate over time.
Falke and his team extended this idea to other dense cosmic objects, calculating how long they’d take to “evaporate” under similar physics.
Their findings showed that not only do black holes and neutron stars decay over the same timescale – around 10^67 years – but white dwarfs, considered the universe’s most durable objects, eventually fizzle out after about 10^78 years.
“By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation,” noted co-author Walter van Suijlekom.
In a playful twist, the researchers also calculated that it would take 10^90 years for the Moon and a human to vanish via Hawking-like radiation.
Still, they explained that other forces might take care of us well before that.
The findings come as new data has raised questions about the nature of dark energy, the mysterious force thought to be accelerating the universe’s expansion.
If dark energy is weakening, the cosmos could eventually reverse course and collapse in a “Big Crunch.”
Or, it might keep expanding forever, growing increasingly dark and lonely.
“Now, there is the possibility that everything comes to an end,” cosmologist and study collaborator Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki told CBS News. “Would we consider that a good or bad thing? I don’t know.”