18 July 2024
Make Europe Great Again…But how?
Hungary took over the Council presidency with the slogan ‘Make Europe Great Again’. But what Viktor Orban does is the opposite of this.
Hungary took over the Council presidency with the slogan ‘Make Europe Great Again’. But what Viktor Orban does is the opposite of this.
On the 1st of July, Hungary took over the EU Council presidency with the slogan ‘Make Europe Great Again’. The presidency website explains that the motto ‘Make Europe Great Again’ refers to the fact that “member states are stronger together than apart” and “symbolises the perception that Europe can become an independent global player.” The choice of ‘Make Europe Great Again’ surprised many, not for its controversy but for its predictability. The motto itself isn’t controversial; it’s what Viktor Orbán may imply by it.
The Hungarian presidency will focus on seven priorities: a New European Competitiveness Deal, strengthening European defence policy, a merit-based enlargement policy, curbing illegal migration, shaping cohesion policy, a farmer-oriented agricultural policy, and tackling demographic challenges.
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While Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will have no formal role in the rotating presidencies, the narrative he creates around the Europeanised version of ‘Make America Great Again’ will greatly influence the public debate in Brussels and capitals till the end of the year. His new ‘Patriots for Europe’ fraction in the European Parliament and his recent visits to Moscow, Kyiv, Beijing and Washington as the self-declared leader of Europe are one big proof of that.
Hungarian presidency’s slogan is an ‘overpromise’, said Dr Antonios Nestoras, Deputy Executive Director of the European Liberal Forum, on Euronews ‘BRUSSELS, MY LOVE?’ programme. “We all know that the council presidency is important, but it doesn’t hold enough power. So, it’s more about gaining attention, provoking a little bit the Brussels establishment by imitating Trump, but not really starting a revolution,“ said Dr Nestoras.
The programme of the Hungarian presidency has elements that resonate with broader European values: competitiveness, defence, enlargement, and minority protection. However, we, liberals, can agree with the goals but we fundamentally disagree on how we should achieve them. “If you want to make Europe great again, you must have a strong EU. And what Orbán has been doing for the past decade or so is the opposite of it: bocking significant decisions, weakening our position against Russia and our support for Ukraine,” said Dr Antonios Nestoras.
European enlargement policy is one of the priorities of the Hungarian presidency, yet the Hungarian Prime Minister has created obstacles several times in the Council for candidate countries’ progress. How do we achieve a merit-based EU accession without turning the process into a political one?
Gradual integration is an ideal solution for merit-based enlargement, as it allows candidate countries to be progressively included in EU policies and institutions based on their preparedness. We advocate for a tailored approach for each candidate country, concrete timelines for accession negotiations, and safeguards against vetoes and blockages – the key factor that undermines the meritocracy of the process. Implementing fixed milestones, deadlines, and tangible benefits throughout the process can ensure accountability and progress despite political changes.
In his Financial Times op-ed, Victor Orbán advocates for achieving competitiveness by “negotiating a new deal that removes administrative and other burdens.” He attributes the decline of European competitiveness to “misguided Brussels decisions that go against the realities of the world economy,” particularly targeting green transition.
The European Union’s industrial policy is confronted with a policy ‘trilemma’ across sectors. This trilemma involves the need to simultaneously uphold security, foster sustainability, and maintain the focus on competitiveness. Focusing too much on one of these three areas will have a detrimental impact on the other two. When it comes to the EU’s sustainable transition, the longer we take to make those changes, the more difficult it will be to recover from the damage done and the more expensive it will be to pay for it.
The Hungarian Presidency programme also puts a special emphasis on the EU’s “greater role in guaranteeing its own security by strengthening its resilience and capacity to act.”
A stronger geopolitical role for Europe, however, requires a well-integrated, innovation-driven defence market where there is no space for disruptors and autocrats. Only a rule-based, functioning liberal democracy can ensure long-term security and peace on the continent. There is no security and peace without freedom.
All these changes are necessary to truly Make Europe Great Again, not simply in manifestos, but in reality. And the most important component of that strategy is the real European unity, especially behind closed doors.
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