Draft bill submitted: Orban wants more curbs on protests

Bill submitted
Orban wants more control over the opposition

November 22, 2023, 2:24 am

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Ahead of next year’s EU elections, Orbán’s government is planning a legislative proposal that could make the opposition’s job in Hungary even more difficult. The proposed draft would result in changes to the Constitution and the Criminal Code.

With a bill just submitted, Hungary’s government wants to criminalize foreign financing of election campaigns and set up a new authority to regulate non-governmental organizations. The country’s so-called “Law for the Protection of Sovereignty” “puts an end to all electoral fraud and imposes up to three years in prison for those who use foreign funds in election campaigns,” said Matt Kossis, head of the ruling Fidesz. Parliamentary Committee, Party, on Facebook.

Critics see the law as the latest move by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s right-wing populist government to weaken political rivals ahead of next year’s European Parliament and local elections. After the 2022 parliamentary elections, the Hungarian government released several intelligence reports alleging that the opposition coalition had accepted three billion forints (about eight million euros) from a US-based NGO for its election campaign.

In an interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson in August, Orban said American taxpayer money was used to fund a campaign against him. The opposition denied all the allegations and said the funds came from Hungarian citizens living abroad. The proposed legislative package would require a constitutional amendment and a change in the criminal law. The 22-page text is available on the Hungarian Parliament website.