The Chancellor rightly pointed out that no quick sanctions from the EU are possible in the dispute over the Hungarian law on the representation of homosexuality.
The new rule of law mechanism, which has been in force since the beginning of the year and which enables EU funds to be reduced for the first time, is currently being reviewed by the European Court of Justice.
The commission, which would have to initiate proceedings, wants to wait for the outcome.
That may take a while.
It is also an instrument primarily intended to protect the EU budget.
It would have to be demonstrated that the content of the law "adversely affects or threatens to seriously affect the economic management of the Union's budget or the protection of its financial interests", as stated in the regulation.
That should be difficult even for creative lawyers.
The fierce dispute that took place at the summit last week is essentially a dispute about the fundamental values of Europe.
Orbán is definitely not on the right side, because the exclusion and stigmatization of minorities are not part of the liberal tradition that the continent has been able to build with great effort.
But there is the normal infringement procedure, in which it is first checked whether there is a violation of EU law and how it can be remedied. In Europe one should strive for cohesion, says Merkel. She is right there too.