In a joint letter, a cross-party coalition of 120 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are calling for Hungary to be stripped of its voting rights due to concerns of democratic backsliding and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's use of veto power. The MEPs argue that such action is necessary to protect the values of the European Union.

The letter, addressed to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, highlights two main reasons for taking this unprecedented step. Firstly, it cites Hungary's continued democratic backsliding, a persistent cause of concern within the EU. Secondly, it points to Orbán's controversial role in the EU summit held in December.

Hungarian officials have put forward several requests in exchange for lifting the veto ahead of the summit scheduled for February 1st. While the Council remains hopeful for a resolution, patience within the Parliament is wearing thin.

The MEPs' joint letter urges EU institutions to proceed with Article 7, often referred to as the "nuclear option," in order to address and rectify violations of the EU's fundamental values. Hungary has been under the first stage of Article 7 since 2018, which requires the accused country to explain the situation in regular hearings. However, due to the protection extended by the previous government in Poland, Budapest has faced minimal repercussions.

The group of 120 MEPs aims to trigger the second step of Article 7, which would require a proposal submitted by one-third of member states or by the European Commission, along with the Parliament's consent. This would allow EU leaders to determine the "existence of a serious and persistent" violation of fundamental values.

If the process proceeds to the third phase of Article 7, the Council can vote to suspend certain rights enjoyed by the accused country, including voting rights. Crucially, this vote in the Council only requires a qualified majority. However, no country has ever reached this stage due to the drastic nature of the suspension.

The MEPs argue that taking Article 7 to the next level would send a clear message to Hungary that its actions are unacceptable and would also demonstrate the EU's commitment to upholding the rule of law and sincere cooperation.

The letter was initiated by Finnish MEP Petri Sarvamaa, who stated that the success of the letter shows a clear willingness in the Parliament to activate Article 7.2 and emphasizes the urgency of addressing Orbán's actions. He believes that the idea may be included in a non-binding resolution that the Parliament is currently working on for next week's plenary session.

However, it is essential to note that the call from the Parliament itself is symbolic and relies on putting political pressure on the European Commission and member states. Orbán's political isolation has increased following the electoral victory of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as evidenced by the December summit. Yet, it is unlikely that leaders such as Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Slovakia's Robert Fico would support the radical step of suspending voting rights, as it would effectively reduce Hungary to a powerless, second-class member state.