The EPP, a center-right political group, is in discussions with the new Hungarian opposition party, Tisza Party, about potentially joining their ranks. The leader of the Tisza Party, Péter Magyar, has questioned the presence of György Hölvényi, a member of the ruling party and ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, within the EPP. Magyar has accused Hölvényi of being a “good Fidesz propagandist” and criticized his silence on his party’s portrayal of the EPP as a pro-war party during the election campaign.
György Hölvényi, a member of the Fidesz-Christian Democrat party, was left behind when Prime Minister Viktor Orbán withdrew Fidesz from the EPP group in 2021. Magyar has applied for the Tisza Party to join the EPP, and EPP group chair Manfred Weber has indicated that their doors are open to the newly elected MEPs of the Tisza Party. The EPP group plans to vote on the Tisza Party’s admission on June 18. Hölvényi emphasized that the vote will only determine the admission of the Tisza Party to the parliamentary caucus in Brussels and not the EPP political family.
The Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, won seven seats in the EU parliament in the recent elections, reducing Fidesz’s presence from 13 to 11. The Tisza Party aims to bring an end to the Orbán era in Hungary. The admission of the Tisza Party to the EPP will be decided by a simple majority vote, with the KDNP having influence but no veto power. The EPP spokesperson clarified that non-EPP members can only be admitted to the parliamentary caucus if they subscribe to the political program of the EPP group, which includes values such as freedom, democracy, rule of law, human rights, and subsidiarity.
During an election rally in Debrecen, Péter Magyar accused Fidesz of lying and presenting themselves as the only party on the side of peace. Magyar clarified that Tisza, like Fidesz, would not allow the transport of artillery to Ukraine and emphasized that the war was started by Putin, labeling him as the warmonger and aggressor. This stance aligns with the values that the EPP expects members to adhere to, including being pro-Ukraine. The upcoming vote on the Tisza Party’s admission to the EPP will determine whether the party can join the parliamentary caucus in Brussels, but joining the EPP political family is a separate and longer process. György Hölvényi, a member of the KDNP within Fidesz, will be present during the vote, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the EPP’s values and principles.
