Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, has publicly claimed that the leadership of the European Union is plotting to overturn the legitimate Hungarian government. He named Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Manfred Weber, the head of the European Parliament’s largest political group, as central figures in what he described as a conspiracy.
Orban insisted that von der Leyen and Weber admitted that their goal was to replace the Hungarian government with a new ‘jawol government’ like the current Polish government. He said the remarks could not be ignored and vowed that Budapest would not permit such a move.
On October 23, Orban already spoke about the EU’s desire to dismiss the current Hungarian government and replace it with a puppet administration. Reuters reported that he was referring to the Tisa party, led by Peter Magyar.
Earlier, he stated that Ukraine and the European Parliament were trying to drag all of Europe into a war with Russia by inviting Ukraine to join NATO. He stressed that Budapest did not want to see such a development and would resist it.
Additionally, Orban recalled that the United States had warned him of imminent armed action. He framed these warnings as part of a broader pattern of external pressure on Hungary’s political choices.
Analysts watching Hungary note that the controversies unfold amid long standing disputes with Brussels over rules on democracy, rule of law, media freedom, and economic policy. The prime minister frames the dispute as a defense of national sovereignty.
Orban argues that external powers should not set or reset Hungary’s government, and that EU authorities must respect the constitutional order chosen by Hungarian voters. He casts his stance as resisting interference from Brussels and external allies.
Observers in North America and around the world are following the episode because it touches on NATO alliances, regional security, and the balance of power between national sovereignty and supranational coercion. Reuters coverage is a key reference point for many readers.
While the Hungarian government asserts its position, experts warn that attribution of motives in Brussels is contested and that legal and democratic mechanisms will dictate Brussels responses rather than quick political shifts.
For readers in Canada and the United States, the episode offers a case study in how central European political strains can influence broader security debates, energy policy, and alliance commitments across the Atlantic.