The European Parliament on Wednesday (12 September) voted overwhelmingly to trigger a sanctions procedure against Hungary over prime minister Viktor Orban’s challenge to EU rules and values on media freedom, migration and rule of law dating back several years.
In the unprecedented move, 448 MEPs voted in favour of launching the so-called ‘Article 7’ procedure, 197 against and with 48 abstentions, the EP referred Hungary to the other member states to check the health of the country’s democracy.
The same procedure is already underway against Poland, this time triggered by the European Commission.
With the vote, the EP endorsed the report of Green MEP Judith Sargentini, which said recent developments in Hungary represent a systematic threat to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in the country and constitute a clear risk of a serious breach of EU values.
After the vote, MEPs welcomed the adoption of the report and Sargentini with a standing ovation. This was the second time the EP has compiled a report on Hungary’s backsliding on democracy. The first in 2013, however, did not call for the launch of the sanctions procedure.
Now it is up to the Austrian presidency of the EU to launch the procedure of the council of EU countries to examine whether Hungary’s government does breach EU rules and values.
Peter Launsky, spokesperson for the Austrian government tweeted that the council “will deal with” the issue – without giving a timeline.
