Manfred Weber, the President of the European People’s Party, recently welcomed the centrist Tisza party to join the center-right EPP after their significant gains in the recent European Parliament elections. The Tisza party, led by Peter Magyar, won seven of Hungary’s 21 seats, surpassing the ruling Fidesz party led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Weber met with Magyar and members of the Tisza party in Budapest to congratulate them on their success and discuss potential membership within the EPP.
The EPP, which is the ruling majority in the EU Parliament, has been without proper representation from Hungary until the emergence of the Tisza party. Weber expressed his excitement at the prospect of having the seven Tisza MEPs join the EPP group, stating that the door is open for their membership. The addition of the Tisza party members could further increase the EPP seats and enhance their presence in EU decision-making.
During a joint press conference, Magyar described the opportunity to join the EPP as “the beginning of a fruitful European friendship.” He highlighted the importance of the EPP in EU decision-making and expressed his party’s readiness to work closely with them. Magyar emphasized that the Tisza party is centered around fighting corruption and improving the quality of life in Hungary, posing a challenge to Orban’s control over the country.
Although the Tisza MEPs will be joining the EPP parliamentary group, they will not immediately become part of the alliance itself. Magyar, who is 43 years old, aims for his party to remain firmly centrist and operate on an anti-corruption platform. He has emerged as a threat to Orban’s dominance in Hungarian politics, promising to restore democratic checks and balances that have been eroded under Orban’s leadership.
Prime Minister Orban’s Fidesz party won big in the recent EU elections but faced a significant decrease in support. Traditional opponents of Fidesz, such as social-democrat and Green parties, did not meet the threshold for entry into the European Parliament. With Hungary set to take over the presidency of the Council of the EU in July, the emergence of the Tisza party and their potential alliance with the EPP could have significant implications for Hungarian and European politics.
