Today's meeting in Budapest marks the first time Hungary's prime minister and the leader of AfD have held talks.
At the press conference, Viktor Orban highlighted that it would be good for Hungary if everything the AfD wants to achieve were realized.
The AfD is not the party whose leaders are usually received by prime ministers in every European country. But it’s high time for this to change. That’s why we’re here today, and I’m glad that Alice Weidel accepted my invitation and visited us in Budapest. Thank you very much,
PM Orban began his statement.
Successful German economy is in Hungary's interest
Germany-Hungary relations represent a special, unique relationship within Europe. We should not only think about history but also about current statistics. Hungary would fare much better if Germany were successful. The two economies are very closely linked, and we are looking forward to a new era when Germany will be successful again, and we Hungarians, and the Hungarian economy, will also gain extra dynamism from Germany’s success, he said.
We talked about many issues, but the most important question for us Hungarians was: what can we expect from the AfD? We can answer this by examining the AfD’s program and holding discussions with its chairwoman. I can tell the Hungarian public that all of the AfD’s key program points would benefit Hungary. It would be good if they could be realized, from migration to energy policy. This is the most important takeaway from today’s meeting, which I can convey as a message to the Hungarian people,
said Viktor Orban.
The prime minister pointed out that many Germans live in Hungary. There are about 30 thousand Germans who have moved here recently, and there are several hundred thousand Hungarians with German connections through relatives or ancestry. It would benefit Hungary if everything the AfD represents today, were realized. Based on today's discussions, I can confidently say that, he added.
They also discussed Europe, as both Germany and Hungary are members of the European Union, he said.
I was the more radical one on this issue. It’s no small feat, but I openly stated that I am convinced Europe is in deep trouble, the European Union is in deep trouble,
said Viktor Orban.
Europe is in trouble
He emphasized that there are two reasons for this. It’s in trouble because of the content of the policies being implemented today, and it’s in trouble because of the way they are being implemented. So there are problems with both the substance and the form. In terms of substance, the economic policy pursued in Brussels today leads to defeat against global economic rivals. With the current policy, Europe cannot be put on a growth trajectory. Migration also has economic implications that need to be addressed, but the most important thing is to acknowledge that the Green Deal is dead, he said. We need a green approach, and climate is an important issue, but the way they have put it together naming it the Green Deal is ruining us, he added.
As a result, we are paying electricity prices that are two to three times higher and gas prices that are three to four times higher than those of our American competitors. This is a competition we cannot win. And no economic competition can be won this way. Therefore, we need a completely new energy policy. I am convinced that energy sanctions should be lifted, discrimination against nuclear energy should be eliminated, closed energy supply lines should be reopened, and energy sources that have been phased out should be brought back into the European economy. I must say that there are already visible problems in the European, but as we Hungarians say, the worst is yet to come. The truly painful consequences of this misguided European economic policy and the flawed Green Deal are yet to come,
emphasized Viktor Orban.
He pointed out that the EU is in big trouble because it wants to implement policies against the will of the people. While people are clearly saying they don’t want migration, Brussels is trying to take a pro-migration stance. The vast majority of people in Europe want peace, but the European Union wants to win a war against Russia. European people want to protect the purchasing power of their salaries and support policies that help the middle class, but what they are getting is the opposite—they are becoming poorer.
Hungary holds a pro-peace stance
Hungary is the only country in Europe that stands on the side of peace, the prime minister underlined. The EU, on the other hand, has declared the Russia-Ukraine war its own war. This is a hopeless war, he said.
Hungary is pro-peace, and along with the Vatican, America has also adopted this stance,
he added.
Hungary cannot save the European Union. We must work to make Hungary successful, said Viktor Orban.
Taking over the floor, Alice Weidel spoke about the need to significantly improve relations between countries. Germany has grown weak, and its leadership is also weak. Its energy policy has failed, something that began with Angela Merkel, who ruined the country.
Germany's governing coalition has also caused significant harm in the area of migration, not just to neighboring countries but also to Hungary. People are suffering from imported crime, and there are many juvenile offenders, she added.
The problems continue to multiply in the economic area. Taxes and contributions are the highest. The AfD's goal is to restore order in the country. The Orban government has achieved this,
the co-chair of AfD emphasized, adding that
Hungary has become a symbol of independence and security. This is what the AfD also wants to achieve.
Viktor Orban is a role model for freedom,
she remarked. In Germany, they want to impose a policy of bans, and the AfD wants to change this through the example of Hungary.
Viktor Orban is a role model
Regarding the EU, Weidel said, Viktor Orban was very right. She agreed that the goal should be to reform the EU, but this can only be done from within. And for this, strong nation-states are needed.
We need to build a work-based society, just as Viktor Orban has done in Hungary,
she emphasized. This is the kind of policy Europe needs. She promised that if the AfD were part of the government, it would follow Hungary’s example.
I am grateful that Hungary is fighting against illegal migration. It is a huge mistake that Hungary is being punished for this, which also shows that the EU is on the wrong track,
Weidel said in response to a question.
Viktor Orban emphasized that Germany must be spoken of with respect, except on the issue of migration. The Germans nearly ruined us. If we had allowed what Brussels and the Germans wanted to force on us, Hungary would look like Germany today. Which we don’t want, he stated.
Hungary went through very difficult years when there was enormous pressure on the country to admit migrants. The number of illegal migrants in Hungary is zero,
the prime minister underscored.
We are being fined one million euros a day because we don’t allow illegal migrants to enter Hungary, he highlighted.
Even if they take that money from us, it is still cheaper for Hungary. Moreover, admitting migrants would entail historical consequences. Even if Brussels or Berlin stands on its head, Hungary will not let illegal migrants in,
We are protecting both the Germans and the Schengen area. Hungary should be seen as the captain of a frontier fortress. If they cannot praise us for this, at least they shouldn't punish us, the prime minister said.
Viktor Orban sees no hope that the migration pact will be changed. "That’s why we must rebel against the migration pact. The Poles have rebelled too. They are now doing what the Hungarians are doing, but they are being praised while we are being punished, he emphasized.
In response to a question, Viktor Orban highlighted:
Despite the closeness of ideas, there was a very obvious obstacle to relations with the AfD. I won’t deny it, I spoke openly about this with Alice Weidel. It is a key interest for Hungary to have good relations with any German government, regardless of its composition. On the one hand we have relations between states, where there is a Hungarian interest, and on the other hand we have relations with political parties. And I will never allow myself to ruin Hungary's interests in interstate relations for the sake of party relations. That’s why I have been cautious with the AfD until now. But I thought that everything is now changing. It is completely obvious that the AfD represents the future.
The prime minister stated: for me, from what I see, it is clear that if a ruling elite is unwilling to stand on the side of the people, but a party comes along that stands on the side of the people, then the future belongs to that party. And since the AfD's support has reached 20 percent, this political camp is almost twice as large as the entire population of Hungary. I do not believe that a relationship with a party with such support can be punished at the level of interstate relations.
The time has come when, in my opinion, the relationship with the AfD cannot be punished in the dimension of interstate relations, not even by the German government, because of the significant support AfD enjoys. And I thought that this would soon become obvious to everyone. This is what I see, and this is what I call the future,
Viktor Orban emphasized.
Trump and the EU
Regarding President Trump , the prime minister stated that the first and most important thing is that the American liberal progressive boot has been lifted off Hungary's chest. Until now, we had two boots on our chest: the Brussels progressives and the American liberal administration.
I wouldn’t say that the current situation is entirely comfortable, but at least we can breathe. The immense international pressure against which we had to lead our country to success has now at least been halved. This is a huge deal. Not to mention that skeletons are falling out of the closet, revealing that American taxpayers' money was used to finance all of our opponents in Hungary and perhaps in other countries as well—progressive leftist media, NGOs, everyone. That is now over,
the prime minister emphasized.
He added: "From this perspective, political competition will be fairer than before. The second point is that I see the American president changing—or about to change—the world in six key areas. This is now completely clear." He outlined:
"Trump has said that migration is not good but bad. He is changing our thinking to recognize that war is bad, and peace is good. In Europe, the opposite was previously said: that war is good, and peace is bad. Those who wanted peace were accused of serving Russian interests. But that is over now because the Americans have become pro-peace. Thirdly, he is changing our conception of the Green Deal – The idea that environmental policies should disregard industrial and economic realities is wrong. I sometimes hear in Germany that the best car is the one that isn’t manufactured, and it sends shivers down my spine. Saving the planet must take into consideration economic realities. And the forth is Christianity."
Viktor Orban recalled that progressive liberals made it fashionable to mock Christian communities, values, and traditions. "That is over. Christianity is something worthy of respect. Christian communities represent values, and this is what the American president is now signaling. The mockery of family has also ended. Destroying the family is a bad thing. Strengthening the family is a good thing. And free speech is good, political correctness is bad—it was the opposite before."
"The problem is that the leaders of the European Union and its institutions are sitting like cowardly rabbits, awaiting their fate," he said. "Cowardly rabbits have no future. We are sitting there, like a monkey struck by a snake, waiting to see what the American president will do. This is the worst thing we can do," he stated. When Trump comes, and he will, we will be sweating. He will come and represent his own interests."
Our only option is to stand up bravely, strongly, confidently, and make proposals to the Americans. They obviously do not want to maintain the U.S.-European trade imbalance. But instead of waiting to be attacked like a rabbit, we must stand up and say that we have proposals—two, three, four, five of our own—and we must start negotiations,
the PM stated.
The question is: who will do this? European institutions cannot be taken seriously. Europe’s biggest problem is that it has no credible negotiator to initiate serious discussions with the U.S. Only two countries could do this on Europe’s behalf—preferably together: Germany and France.
The future of Europe is in the hands of the French and the Germans. If they provide leadership, there will be leadership. If they don’t, there won’t be, and the entire continent will suffer economically—not just in its relations with the U.S. but also with China, Russia, and others. Because there is no mercy for the weak,
Orban warned.
Alice Weidel responded to a journalist’s question, saying that common interests must be assessed in order to develop a strong joint policy. She stated:
We need a truly strong, free, conservative voice in Europe to reform the EU and return to a peaceful Europe.
The AfD chancellor candidate emphasized that PM Orban was right about Europe lacking leadership, which is crucial now that Donald Trump is the new U.S. president. Europe needs a competent negotiator to stand up for its interests.
Look at what is happening in Germany—the coalition was unstable,
she highlighted.
Germany’s government working against its own people
Weidel criticized the German government, stating:
"The coalition was not governing for the people as we would have liked, but rather against its own citizens. This must end. That is why it is so important to establish new leadership. We must lead our country with good relations with our neighbors and return the EU to its original roots—market economy and free competition."
She noted that AfD has become Germany’s second strongest party, with stable and growing support.
I can tell you that when Alternative for Germany comes to power, we will end the harassment of people. We want freedom for people. We want them to decide freely what they want to buy. We want companies to decide freely what they want to produce and trade. It’s that simple,
she added.
She pointed out that Germany has the highest energy prices, Germans pay the highest taxes and contributions, and Germany punishes its taxpayers. This must end. Why? Because German companies are leaving the country one after another, which will lead to mass unemployment," Weidel said.
We want peace in Ukraine and Europe. We are the only force in Germany that has consistently called for peace in Ukraine.
the AfD leader stated.
In response to a press question PM Orban made it clear that he is decidedly staying out of Germany’s electoral battles: "The Germans will decide who they vote for and what coalitions they form—Hungarians have no role in that."
However, he added:
There is one thing I won’t stay away from—telling the truth and speaking plainly. From Hungary’s perspective, we are hoping for a German government whose economic policies serve Hungarian economic interests. Today, I am convinced that AfD has such a program,
he said.
Viktor Orban expressed hope that Germany would elect a government that removes the ‘Brussels boot’ off Hungary’s chest and does not allow Brussels to overreach its powers again.
The Germans have tolerated this until now. I won’t say they encouraged it—that would be too much—but as Europe’s strongest country, they allowed Brussels to treat us in a clearly discriminatory way. We want a German government that stands for fair, just, and respectful treatment of nations.
The PM stressed that it is ultimately for the German citizens to decide.
Responding to another question, Weidel, on behalf of herself and her party, rejected being labeled far-right, saying: "I want a free country, a free Germany. We are the second strongest political force in all of Germany."
She predicted that if her party were blocked from governing due to the anti-democratic firewall erected by establishment parties, massive voter support would shift toward AfD.
Read our manifesto, listen to what we say, and you’ll realize that we are truly fighting for a free, conservative politics,
she stated.
Weidel emphasized the importance of supporting families and, addressing a question about her own identity, noted:
"I know why you are asking me—because I am a liberal. But the word ‘liberal’ has become a dirty word nowadays. I am pro-freedom. I live with a woman, and we are raising two boys, aged 8 and 12. We are a fantastic family. To me, family is always where children are." She also remarked that her identity is always an issue for the press when the question of family policy is disussed.
At the end of the press conference, Viktor Orban concluded:
This is why I invited President Weidel. We wanted to see a brave woman, a political leader, and a freedom fighter, and today, we have all seen that. As for why we invited her now? Because I would welcome any chancellor candidate. But let’s be honest, there wasn’t exactly a long line waiting line. But to be honest, Ms Party President selected this day. If she had picked the day before the elections, I would have invited her then.
He added that he was happy they met before the elections explaining that "after the elections, AfD will be seen as a successful party, and many will be lining up to congratulate them. Hungary took a bold step by meeting her before the elections,"
Cover photo: Alice Weidel, co-chair of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: Attila Polyak)
