Dispute over Fidesz exclusion: Weber and Orbán "stay in the conversation"

Manfred Weber's mission with Viktor Orbán has been unsuccessful. In the dispute over the exclusion of the right-wing Fidesz party from the European People's Party, there was no solution after a conversation between the EPP faction leader and the Hungarian Prime Minister. "We keep talking," said Weber (CSU) in Budapest. It was a constructive meeting that touched many questions. Weber is the leading candidate of the EPP in the European elections at the end of May.

However, Weber did not comment on the question of Orbán's willingness to fulfill his conditions for remaining in the EPP. He had recently made Fidesz membership conditional on three conditions: Orbán should stop the recent campaign against European Commission chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker and apologize to the other EPP parties. And the Central European University (CEU) must stay permanently in Budapest and again issue US diplomas.

In the EPP, the Orbán critics have recently become more massive in their demands, given the Hungarian Government's recent anti-migration and anti-Brussels campaign. Meanwhile, 13 EPP parties have officially called for the exclusion or temporary suspension of Fidesz from the party family. On March 20, the EPP Board will vote on how to deal with Fidesz. In the end could also be an exclusion. The vote is expected to be attended by 56 parties, including the CDU and CSU.

Dobrindt warns about splitting off Fidesz

The CSU leader Alexander Dobrindt warned meanwhile against a spin-off of Fidesz from the EPP. Everyone involved should handle the situation "responsibly," Dobrindt said. He referred to developments in the UK. Orbán must make it clear that his Fidesz wanted to be part of the conservative European party family.

"The European People's Party is a great asset," said Dobrindt. It would be good to keep this community, said the CSU country group chief. However, the EPP also admits "not everything on special routes".

Basically, it should be on both sides to keep the channels open, even if the times are difficult, Dobrindt warned. There are questions that have to be clarified between Brussels and Hungary, said the CSU politician and thus apparently also aimed at the fact that the ruling party has caused, among other things, with a poster campaign against the EU migration policy in Brussels for annoyance.