The outspoken Hungarian prime minister has warned a systemic shift in politics is on the horizon. He believes Brussels will move away from the EU being run by the “European elite” of Paris and Berlin as people let their voices be heard in the upcoming European election.
Europeans will vote on the make-up of the European Parliament in May 2019, which will likely prove a defining moment for the EU after overcoming a number of threats to its stability, including Brexit and the migration crisis.
Mr Orban recently won a third term in Hungary on a eurosceptic platform which targeted the EU’s migration rules, a strategy that has produced a number of high-profile clashes with the European Commission, the bloc’s power executive body.
He is now predicting a change, outlining the views of his Fidesz party that its time to move away from the EU’s traditional power base amongst French and German politicians.
On the upcoming parliamentary election, Mr Orban said: “We have never been faced with such a decisive election.
“The Germans should above all be vigilant. There is a French concept, which fundamentally means: French leadership of Europe, paid for by German money.
“This is something I reject. We do not want a European Union under French leadership.”
Hoping to inspire a delay to important decisions, such as the budget and migration, Mr Orban added: “The Europeans must be heard and we must wait for the European elections before taking some important decisions.”
Despite his Fidesz party being part of the EU’s ruling European People’s Party, Mr Orban was no scared to challenge its leadership of the bloc.
Speaking to supporters in the Romanian town of Baile Tusnad, he said: “The European elite has failed and this failure’s symbol is the European Commission.
“The good news is that the Commission’s days are numbered.”
“In the European Parliament election, the great goal of transforming Europe and moving it towards a post-Christian and post-national era could be blocked,” he added.
“And it is in our fundamental interest to block it.”
Mr Orban described the Juncker-led Commission’s decision making as “the last movements of frogs’ leg in biological experiences which we saw when we were at school, which no longer had significance”.
He added: “We need a new Commission with a new approach.
“We need a Commission after the European elections which does not punish those countries that protect their borders like Hungary.”
Hungary is currently facing legal action from the EU after Brussels referred Budapest to the European Court of Justice for “non-compliance” with migration legislation.
Mr Orban’s government passed a so-called “stop Soros” law last month, named after billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
The Hungarian prime minister accuses Mr Soros of orchestrating migration to Europe.