Emmanuel Macron in Hungary: Europe in the sights

French President Emmanuel Macron and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban give a press conference in Budapest on December 13, 2021. AFP - ATTILA KISBENEDEK

Text by: RFI Follow

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The French president is in Hungary, the only country in the European Union that he has not yet visited since the start of his five-year term.

He also participates in a meeting of the Visegrád group which brings together four Central European countries and meets the nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. 

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The French president prayed in front of the tomb of Agnes Heller in the cemetery of Kozma Utca, this philosopher he admired and who died two years ago.

She was one of the anti-Orban voices in her country.

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The message is therefore clear and limpid: Emmanuel Macron is not coming to Hungary to endorse Viktor Orban's policy.

The message, moreover, will be reiterated later in the afternoon since the French Head of State will meet with the representative of the Hungarian opposition, an opposition which is fighting against a Prime Minister whom it accuses of 'to have stifled Hungarian democracy, and to carry out policies of hatred against minorities.

#Macron cordially greeted by #Orban in #Budapest:

"It was time for a French President to come back here".

"I respect him."

Macron response, familiar with the Hungarian PM: "We have disagreements but the will to work together" especially on European defense pic.twitter.com/RCprhVvnZm

- Anthony Lattier (@AnthLattier) December 13, 2021

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Criticisms also issued by Emmanuel Macron, but the French head of state cannot afford to sulk Viktor Orban with whom he had lunch this afternoon, he needs him to make the French presidency of the Union a success European which begins in two weeks.

The Élysée thinks that, despite the differences, points of agreement are possible on French priorities such as the regulation of digital giants or the reform of the right to asylum, Emmanuel Macron therefore wants to test the waters, hoping that Orban will not not block his presidency.

🇭🇺🇫🇷 Emmanuel #Macron is expected in #Hungary at the invitation of Prime Minister Victor #Orban.

►A face-to-face meeting between two leaders who have mutually designated each other as political adversaries but who also have an interest in talking to each other.

🎧 Details @AnthLattier #RFImatin 👇 pic.twitter.com/3XQs5kr4VO

- RFI (@RFI) December 13, 2021

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• Hungary

• France

• Emmanuel Macron

• Viktor Orban

• European Union