Orban’s political alliance nears end of road

Bloomberg

Europe’s main political family moved closer to a showdown with its most troublesome member, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, over his increasingly euroskeptic behavior.
The European Union’s Christian Democrats sent two sets of warnings to Orban and his Fidesz party, signaling a greater determination to confront populist forces in the run-up to EU legislative elections in May.
Manfred Weber, leader of the group in the European Parliament, demanded an apology from the nationalist Hungarian leader for an anti-EU campaign. At the same time, several member parties from other countries urged the alliance to suspend or expel Fidesz.
“All options are on the table,” Weber, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told Der Spiegel magazine in an interview published on Friday. “We will take concrete action very soon.”
The latest rumblings peel back years of efforts by Europe’s Christian Democrats, also known as the European People’s Party, or EPP, to paper over unhappiness with Orban as a result of his erosion of democratic standards, opposition to immigration and criticism of EU institutions and personalities.
Orban, who has boasted about creating an “illiberal” state, riled the EPP last month with an anti-immigration poster campaign in Hungary that targets European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a fellow Christian Democrat.
Five national parties in the EPP from four countries —Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg and Portugal — have so far reportedly said they’re seeking the suspension or expulsion of Fidesz.
To start a formal internal discussion about such a move, the EPP would need to receive requests by at least seven member parties from a minimum of five countries. The alliance’s next assembly meeting is scheduled for March 20.
The growing tensions over Orban within the EPP come at a sensitive time. The Christian Democrats will see their share of seats in the EU Parliament fall to 26 percent after the May 23-26 elections from 29 percent at the moment, according to forecasts released by the assembly.
While the group is slated to remain the biggest in the European assembly, the faction’s projected seat total of 181 would shrink further were a Fidesz contingent of as many as 13 members forced out.
Furthermore, such a move could lead the Fidesz members to seek an alliance with other euroskeptic forces such as the League party of Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini. The League’s number of EU Parliament members will more than quadruple to 28, according to the latest projection by the assembly.