Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Photo: Attila Kisbenedek / AFP
Hungary has gone too far in its disregard for European Union laws and undermining of civil society, and there is no way to change course as long as Prime Minister Viktor Orban is in power. This opinion was expressed by Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar in a commentary to Politico.
Bodnar recalled the example of Poland, where the previous right-wing government, which remained in power until 2023, also had numerous conflicts with the EU. He stressed that “under the current leadership, it will be extremely difficult” to bring Hungary back to compliance with European norms and values. According to the Minister, changes are possible only after a change of government: “Poland’s experience proves that without a political reset, it is impossible to restore the rule of law and return to European standards.”
This statement contrasts with the position of the new European Commissioner for the Rule of Law, Michael McGrath, who said last week that “it is never too late for change”. At the same time, Budapest risks losing a billion euros in European funding for violating democratic principles.
Bodnar also expressed pessimism about rapid change even if Orban were to lose the 2026 parliamentary elections. Although polls show opposition leader Péter Modjár’s popularity is rising, the minister noted that the 16 years of Fidesz’s rule have caused deep damage to civil society and democratic institutions. “It will take a titanic effort to fix this,” he stressed.
The Polish minister also noted the weakness of Hungarian civil society compared to Polish civil society. “The European Commission is facing a difficult task – not only to return Hungary to the democratic path, but also to restore trust in institutions in a society that is significantly weakened,” he said.
Adam Bodnar, who served as Poland’s ombudsman in 2015-2021 and was an outspoken critic of the nationalist Law and Justice government, is now one of the leading politicians in Donald Tusk’s government, which returned to power after winning the 2023 elections.
His statement came on the eve of Poland’s presidency of the EU Council, which will begin on 1 January. Poland, which takes over from Hungary, plans to focus on defence, economic competitiveness and EU enlargement. However, Bodnar stressed that he would personally insist on strengthening the protection of civil society and the independence of judges in the EU.
“We have a duty to protect the independent voices that still exist – judges, activists, civic leaders. In Hungary, the situation is so difficult that even judges are afraid to speak openly about the pressure they are under,” Bodnar concluded.
