The PP's Metamorphosis Regarding Hungary: From Supporting Orbán to Criticism

A Shift in Stance Under Public Scrutiny

The recent electoral defeat of Viktor Orbán in Hungary, which ends 16 years of Fidesz party hegemony, has triggered a notable metamorphosis in the Spanish People's Party's (PP) narrative. What for years was a strategic alliance and a relationship of mutual convenience has now transformed into a critical discourse where the PP equates the Hungarian leader with illiberal populism.

However, this new stance strongly contrasts with the history of support the PP offered Orbán when he was still a key player within the European People's Party (EPP). The current strategy of Génova 13, which seeks to use Orbán's figure to weaken Pedro Sánchez's government, deliberately ignores a past marked by abstentions and direct support.

A History of Complicity in Europe

For years, the Spanish PP avoided taking a stand against Budapest's authoritarian measures. In 2018, the then-leader of the PP, Pablo Casado, justified this support by arguing that Hungary had been a loyal ally on the issue of the Catalan independence process. This position was maintained even as Orbán's authoritarian turn became evident.

"The European People's Party is well aware that Hungary has always been with Spain when Spain has requested support in facing the independence process," Pablo Casado (2018).

The Rule of Law Crisis

When the Hungarian Parliament approved governing by decree indefinitely under the guise of the pandemic, Casado refused to sign the letter that thirteen other European conservative parties sent demanding the expulsion of Fidesz. The pattern repeated in key votes on the Rule of Law, where the Spanish PP opted to abstain or vote against sanctioning the Hungarian government, even when the rest of its European partners called for increased pressure.

Social Consequences of a Controversial Model

Orbán's control was not limited to political rhetoric but permeated the country's social structure. The management of fundamental resources, such as access to **housing**, became a tool for electoral control. In a context where economic uncertainty affects citizens, access to a mortgage or rental policies were manipulated to consolidate a voter base dependent on the state.

The votes in the European Parliament, where the Spanish PP fragmented on multiple occasions—between votes against, abstentions, and absences—demonstrate the discomfort of a party that today tries to erase its past. The reality is that, while European democratic values were at stake, the Spanish PP prioritized party loyalty over the integrity of community institutions.

Conclusion

The end of the Orbán era not only marks a turning point for Hungary but also highlights the contradictions of the Spanish right. The transition from "good friends" to fierce critics suggests that political coherence has been sacrificed for electoral expediency, casting a shadow over the PP's real commitment to the foundational values of European democracy.

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Source: elDiario.es