Steven N.Jobbik President and Member of European Parliament Márton Gyöngyösi is holding a press conference on Monday titled “Hungary’s Place in the Union – Jobbik is Initiating a Referendum.” Further details are not yet known, including what their referendum is about exactly, and if it is somehow connected to the announcement of a similar initiative by MSZP on Sunday.
Earlier, MSZP’s István Ujhelyi proposed a referendum on the following question: “Do you agree that Parliament should create a law on Hungary’s commitments to membership in the European Union?” The Socialist MEP argues on social media that Hungary’s EU membership must be “confirmed” in a referendum:
Until now, only EU money has kept Orbán and his regime in the European community, not values, which means that if the ‘money tap’ is closed, there will be nothing left to keep the leaders of the regime in the European Union.
-Ujhelyi writes, claiming that the country has never before been in such grave danger, since the Hungarian government is unable to reach a compromise with the European Commission and may lose some of the EU funds due to it from the recovery fund.
Together with the referendum effort, MSZP will also submit a bill to Parliament. The referendum will force the National Assembly to take up the vote, reasons the Socialist politician.
If the bill passes, there will be no need for the referendum, says Ujhelyi, who believes that “the intent to leave the EU is hardly far from the minds of the current government.”
However, the proposal was received cooly by fellow opposition party Momentum. Board member János Kele thinks that the referendum initiative would be a “huge mistake.”
Kele writes on social media that it’s simply not worth risking an enormous national tragedy just because some “political actors, who are afraid of becoming irrelevant, now see this issue as an opportunity for them to claw their way back.” [HVG, Telex]
If
If Jobbik/MSZP (which sounds like a forced alliance) rely on the Hungarian households dependent on contributions from family members working abroad to vote for a stay, plus those who are traditionally pro EU to actually show up to vote (which would be a change) – It could be a close call for the government.
But what about all the foreign double citizens, whose votes count, but have no authentication of nationality from their home state to cross check with (should the need ever arise)?
And all the Fidesz-controlled publicly funded, unemployed project-workers?
It really doesn’t sound like a well organized and qualified challenge to the Orbánistan grip on Hungarian EU politics, but more like a cry for help.