The European Parliament has warned that the rule-of-law situation in Hungary continues to deteriorate, calling for immediate action under EU law to address ongoing violations.
In its second interim report on the Article 7 procedure — adopted with 415 votes in favor, 193 against, and 28 abstentions — Members of the European Parliament highlighted persistent threats to judicial independence, electoral integrity, and democratic freedoms in Hungary.
The report criticizes the Hungarian government for reviewing decisions of the European Court of Justice before applying them, refusing to comply with rulings from the European Court of Human Rights, and undermining the independence of Hungary’s National Judicial Council.
According to the Parliament, “the situation in Hungary has continued to worsen, partly due to the Council’s lack of progress in safeguarding the rule of law, and reflects the country’s transformation into a ‘hybrid regime of electoral autocracy.’”
MEPs urged the European Council to take direct measures under the EU Treaties to address the situation.
The Parliament also expressed concern over the increasing use of AI-generated political content without proper labeling ahead of the 2026 elections, including deepfake videos linked to the ruling party. Lawmakers warned that such content could distort electoral processes and violate EU digital and data-protection rules.
Furthermore, MEPs called for a swift conclusion to the European Commission’s investigation into alleged Hungarian espionage targeting EU institutions, stressing that the findings must lead to real consequences.
Dutch MEP Tineke Strik stated:
“The lack of decisive action by the Commission and the Council against Hungary has allowed a continued erosion of democracy and the rule of law.”
