Hungarian parliament passes law against "foreign influence"
Among other things, the law provides for prison sentences and the establishment of a supervisory authority to prevent "foreign influence" in the electoral process, for example. The authority is to "identify and investigate organizations that receive money from abroad (...) in order to influence the will of the voters".
The head of the new supervisory authority is to be appointed by the Prime Minister. The body is to be given far-reaching investigative powers. Although it would not be able to impose sanctions against non-governmental organizations itself, it would be able to pass on information to the authorities.
According to the law, any candidate who stands for election and at the same time accepts foreign funds could face up to three years in prison. The Fidesz party declared that the law would "close the door to any kind of electoral fraud".
The Orban government's plans have attracted a great deal of criticism both at home and abroad in recent weeks. Critics fear that it could be used to crack down on dissenters and groups that reject the policies of Orban's government.
Hungary is a member of the European Union. However, Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has been at loggerheads with the EU Commission for years on numerous issues, such as migration, the rule of law and LGBTQ rights.
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- The new law adopted by the Hungarian Parliament aims to address concerns about "foreign influence" in the country's electoral process by establishing a supervisory authority to identify and investigate organizations that receive funds from abroad.
- The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban's Fidesz party, claims that the law will "close the door to any kind of electoral fraud."
- Critics, however, fear that the law could be used to suppress dissenters and groups opposed to Orban's government policies, raising concerns about adherence to democratic values and the rule of law.
- As a member of the European Union, Hungary is subject to scrutiny from the EU Commission, with Orban frequently facing criticism for his government's stance on issues such as migration, the rule of law, and LGBTQ rights.
- The supervisory authority under the new law will be able to pass on information to authorities, but its investigative powers do not extend to imposing sanctions on non-governmental organizations.
- The controversy over the law against "foreign influence" is another example of the ongoing tension between Orban's government and external forces, highlighting the complex balance between national sovereignty and international cooperation in contemporary Europe.
Source: www.stern.de
