Has issued nearly half of all vetoes in the EU – now Hungary promises to stop the “political theater”

Unanimity is a beautiful thing in politics, but if the last couple of years have taught us anything, it is that it is also a difficult way of making decisions when a number of countries get together to decide on common ground.

The now former Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, repeatedly vetoed decisions on EU foreign policy and budgetary issues, and looking back at the history of vetoes in the EU, a clear trend emerges.

University College London lecturer Michal Ovádek has created a website where he tracks the vetoes of members of the European Union, and of the 48 vetoes since June 24, 2011, Hungary accounts for 21 — nearly half.

That is three times as many vetoes as the country with the second-highest number of vetoes, Poland, with seven.

Notably, all of Hungary’s vetoes were issued while Viktor Orbán was in power.

But the use of vetoes simply to get one’s way may be coming to an end.

No more “political theater”

Budapest just signaled a massive shift in its international strategy. Incoming Foreign Minister Anita Orban (not related to Viktor Orbán) promised that her government will stop using its European Union veto power simply to cause drama.

During a parliamentary confirmation hearing on May 11, the incoming diplomat made her stance completely clear. She noted that previous administrations used the powerful veto tool entirely “as political theater,” according to her official statements to lawmakers, The Kyiv Independent and Ukrainska Pravda reports.

Her remarks represent a sharp break from the recent past. Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán famously spent years blocking crucial aid to Ukraine while routinely delaying heavy sanctions against Russia. It was a highly controversial era.

That stubborn approach deeply fractured Hungary’s relationship with neighboring nations. Now, new Prime Minister Péter Magyar desperately wants to repair those broken bonds and rebuild trust. He also hopes to secure billions in frozen funding along the way.

Protecting local interests

The new cabinet officially takes shape on May 12. Magyar recently ousted the ruling party and immediately promised to reduce his country’s heavy reliance on Russian energy sources.

But the new leaders are not abandoning every old policy. The incoming foreign minister made it perfectly clear that Budapest will still step in when “real Hungarian interests are at stake,” she explained.

Hungary plans to stay completely out of the ongoing conflict happening right next door. The country refuses to send weapons into the active war zone.

Leaders also plan to monitor how Ukraine treats its ethnic Hungarian residents. Budapest claims new language education rules actively discriminate against the minority group, causing deep regional frustration.

An olive branch

Ukrainian officials flatly deny those serious discrimination claims. They say the education laws simply help build a stronger national identity after decades of outside influence.

Still, Kyiv sees an opening for better days ahead. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced plans to offer Budapest a brand-new package of ideas to settle the dispute.

He shared his optimistic hopes right before a major meeting in Brussels. “We are open to a new page in bilateral relations,” Sybiha stated clearly to the press.

A quick agreement could change everything for the entire region. It might finally clear the path for Ukraine to begin formal European Union membership talks.

Sources: Hungarian Parliament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, The Kyiv Independent, Ukrainska Pravda, EU veto tracker by Michael Ovádek

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation