The state of the rule of law and its violations in Hungary

The European Parliament has adopted its second interim report on the Article 7 procedure, which the Parliament launched against Hungary in 2018. According to MEPs, the situation is worse than ever: Hungary, they say, is "systematically undermining the rule of law" and moving towards a model of "electoral autocracy".

The report lists a long list of problems: political interference in the judiciary, the refusal to enforce European court rulings, corruption links between the government and economic groups, a clientelist network influencing elections, and blocking the work of Hungary's anti-corruption office. According to Parliament, this situation also threatens the use of European funds.

MEPs also criticise the European Commission's decision to release parts of the cohesion funds to Hungary, which Parliament is now challenging in court. At the same time, they point to the interference in academic freedom, the government's control of the media, politically motivated business practices and even the de facto ban on Pride marches through constitutional amendments.

Of particular concern is the growing misuse of AI-generated political content ahead of the 2026 elections. The Parliament is highlighting the proliferation of deepfake videos disseminated by channels associated with the ruling party, which MEPs say poses a serious threat to fair elections and compliance with the rules under the DSA, GDPR and AI Act.

The Parliament therefore reiterates its call for an Article 7(2) process - a step that could lead to the removal of Hungary's voting rights in the EU Council - and calls for a swift investigation into alleged Hungarian espionage in EU institutions and clear consequences for all involved.