A blow for Viktor Orbán. His power play in the Budapest parliament has been stopped dead. Hungarian MPs, including some from his own Fidesz ranks, voted down the proposed constitutional amendment. The one that would have given the prime minister near-unchecked emergency powers. No time limit. No parliamentary oversight. A full-on power grab.
But the numbers didn’t add up. The government fell short of the required two-thirds majority. The final tally: 133 for, 57 against. Four abstentions. The opposition cheered. But the real story? The cracks in Fidesz. Whispers from the chamber suggest at least nine Fidesz MPs withheld their support. No official whipping, claim the spin doctors. But ask anyone in the lobby: this is a rebellion. A quiet one, but a rebellion nonetheless.
The trigger? Orbán’s attempt to bypass the legislature on issues of national security and economic policy. Critics called it a ‘soft coup’. Even the normally loyal Hungarian media struggled to sell it. The man who once boasted of building an ‘illiberal state’ found the brakes applied by his own side. Brexit watchers should take note. This is what happens when democratic guardrails hold firm.
London was quick to react. The Foreign Office issued a statement praising the Hungarian parliament for upholding the rule of law. A clear dig. Number 10 has been watching Orbán’s trajectory with growing unease. The PM’s own backbenchers have been demanding a harder line on Budapest. This result gives them ammunition. Expect the usual briefings: ‘We stand with our allies who defend democratic norms.’ Translation: Orbán has been warned.
What happens next? The opposition wants a vote of no confidence. But that’s a long shot. Orbán still commands a majority, just not a supermajority. The bill is dead for now. But the Hungarian leader is nothing if not persistent. Expect a revised version, maybe with sunset clauses. Maybe with more arm-twisting. The key figures to watch: Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa, the parliamentary group leader. If he can’t deliver the votes, Orbán might replace him.
For now, though, it’s a victory for the die-hard democrats in Budapest. And a rare piece of good news for those who worry about the erosion of checks and balances across Europe. The question remains: Is this a one-off, or the beginning of the end for Orbán’s unassailable grip? The next few weeks will tell.
Westminster is quietly celebrating. Privately, ministers are relieved. A successful power grab in Hungary would have emboldened populists across the continent. This result gives the UK government a clean pair of gloves when preaching about the rule of law. But don’t expect public triumphalism. The line from the FCDO will be: ‘We support democratic processes in all EU member states.’ Cold, but deliberate.
The Lobby will be buzzing. The real political game now moves to Brussels. Orbán’s EU allies will try to spin this as a temporary setback. But the dynamics have shifted. Watch the corridors of the European Council. The balance of power just changed, however slightly.
