I had a hectic day today and, as a result, I’m running behind. In addition, for a stint I had no internet connection (some unexplained Comcast problem), which made research well-nigh impossible. So, you will just have to put up with what I managed to cobble together.
The eight Hungarian opposition members of the European Parliament are doing a fabulous job in Brussels, which Fidesz naturally considers outright treasonous. In the past, Hungarian MEPs automatically voted for each other’s candidates for higher offices on the parliamentary committees. This year the opposition MEPs chose a different strategy.
Admittedly, during the first few chaotic days they were not yet on the ball and Lívia Járóka slipped through as one of the 13 vice-presidents of the European Parliament. However, the two Momentum MEPs, Katalin Cseh and Anna Donáth, immediately began a campaign to spread the truth about Lívia Járóka’s sorry record. That in turn called attention to Járóka’s rather heartless attitude toward her own Roma people at home.
Two other appointments were approved. Tamás Deutsch, who has been a member of the European parliament since 2004 and therefore had plenty of time to make friends, became fourth deputy chairman of the Budgetary Control Committee (CONT). It would be hilarious if it weren’t so sad that, from here on, Deutsch will be one of the MEPs who are supposed to look into corrupt practices in member countries, including Hungary. Another old-timer, Kinga Gál, also sailed through in the Committee on Security and Defense, which is not surprising since earlier she was one of the deputy presidents of the European Union and at one point was chosen “MP of the Year in the category of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.” Mind you, if Kinga Gál is the epitome of a politician fighting hard for human rights and fundamental freedoms, there is something very wrong with the European Parliament and it is high time for a change.
But from this point on, Fidesz appointees were blocked. On July 17, the caucus of socialists and democrats and that of the liberals officially decided that they would not vote for any of the Fidesz appointees that the European People’s Party puts forth higher office. But even earlier, there were three victims of the new game plan: László Trócsányi, former minister of justice and the man heading the Fidesz delegation, who was nominated to become fourth deputy chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO); Andrea Bocskor, an ethnic Hungarian from Ukraine, to be fourth deputy chairman of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT); and Balázs Hidvéghi, who had served as Fidesz’s director of communication since September 2016, to be third deputy chairman of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). A second attempt to approve Hidvéghi for this post also failed. Given the obvious opposition by the majority, the decision was made to postpone the vote on all three nominations.
Well, that was embarrassing, but more was to come. The first is complicated because, with László Trócsányi, Viktor Orbán had two irons in the fire. He not only picked Trócsányi to be Hungary’s commissioner but also put him at the head of the Fidesz ticket for the European Parliament. If Trócsányi is approved as commissioner, he will no longer be eligible for membership in the EP. Yesterday we learned that Trócsányi withdrew his candidacy for the deputy chairmanship of AFCO. In a letter to Antonio Tajani, current president of the European Parliament, he explained that, because of the preparation necessary for his proposed job as commissioner, he cannot responsibly accept the post. This may indicate that he is confident that he will become a commissioner, despite the fact that he would need the EP to endorse his appointment. Or, even if he is not confident that he could clear the higher hurdle, he surely knows that he would never be approved for the AFCO post. Therefore, Trócsányi’s explanation reeks of an obvious retreat in the face of certain failure.
The third discussion and vote on Balázs Hidvéghi’s nomination for third deputy chairmanship of LIBE was supposed to take place today, but the EPP leadership realized that it would be wise to drop Hidvéghi’s case altogether. The European People’s Party, according to Katalin Halmai, Népszava’s correspondent in Brussels, is afraid that it would lose the position altogether since, after a third negative vote, the post would be given to another parliamentary group.
Fidesz insists that the positions currently unfilled go to Fidesz members of EPP. However, such a solution is out of the question in all three cases because Fidesz has no other full members of these committees. In Hidvéghi’s case, Fidesz has only one alternate on LIBE, Lívia Járóka, who is not eligible. Danuta Hübner, the spokeswoman of EPP, told Halmai that “for the time being they have no candidate for the post.” This is the situation in Trócsányi’s case as well. On AFCO Fidesz has only one ineligible substitute, Kinga Gál. Andrea Bocskor is the only designated Fidesz member of CULT, so if EPP is afraid to put her name to a vote at the end of September, her seat will also be lost.
According to Klára Dobrev (DK), vice-president of the European Parliament, while Trócsányi resigned on his own, Hidvéghi was forced to step down. She maintains that “EPP realized that after Fidesz ravaged the Republic of Hungary, no one will vote for their members.” She suggests that, although Fidesz originally insisted on their replacement by one of their own, they saw the light. But, as I just demonstrated, EPP didn’t have a choice because Fidesz has no full members who could be alternative candidates. So, that ship has sailed.
Fidesz suffered a tremendous blow, from which it will be difficult to recover, if at all. Hungary’s new opposition in Brussels is doing a terrific job.
