Hungary FM: Pro-War, Pro-Migration, Pro-Gender Policies Have Isolated Europe

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto traveled to Vienna, where he held talks with Christian Hafenecker, secretary-general of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPO).

Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Christian Hafenecker, Secretary General of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) (Photo: AFP)

While in Vienna on Thursday, Peter Szijjarto stated that Europe has isolated itself through the promotion of pro-war, pro-migration, and pro-gender agendas—making a patriotic shift urgently necessary if the continent is to regain its strength. He welcomed the strong patriotic alliance between Hungary’s governing party and Austria’s largest political party.

According to FM Peter Szijjarto, Europe has isolated itself. (Photo: TOBIAS STEINMAURER / APA)

According to the statement put out by the ministry, in the press conference following the two politicians' talks the Hungarian foreign minister emphasized that the European Union has grown extremely weak, describing this year as one marked by the bloc’s increasing isolation.

"By pursuing a political strategy that is pro-war, pro-migration, and pro-gender, Europe has simply cut itself off from global politics. As a result, the European Union is no longer a leading actor in world affairs or the global economy,” 

he said.

To illustrate this, he pointed out that the EU is being sidelined in efforts to address the conflicts taking place on the continent, including the war in Ukraine and the fragile situation in the Western Balkans. “Naturally, the EU flails about and tries to create the impression that it is involved in resolving these conflicts, but that simply isn’t the case,” he added.

FM Szijjarto underscored that “the liberal mainstream has brought Europe to the point where its economic competitiveness has dramatically declined, and the continent has completely lost its sense of security.”

Peter Szijjarto stated that patriotic forces are committed to restoring Europe’s strength, and the question now is how this can be achieved.

“We have an answer: a patriotic shift. This process has already begun, as in many European countries the strongest parties are now patriotic parties. However, the liberal mainstream still has enough power to keep these parties away from government—ignoring democratic norms—when they happen to be patriotic,” 

he said.

He recalled that this was the case in Austria, where the FPO won the election, yet “through various machinations, it was the losing parties that formed a coalition.”

He added that he would not even mention this “if some Austrian politicians weren’t constantly lecturing us about democracy and the rule of law. Perhaps a little more humility from the liberal mainstream across Europe would be appropriate,” he remarked.

Peter Szijjarto praised the close patriotic cooperation between Hungary’s governing party and Austria’s largest party, stressing that it is rooted in opposition to war, to mass migration, and to gender ideology.

“We say no to war, no to migration, and no to gender madness. We, as Patriots for Europe, want peace, we reject illegal migration, and we are determined to protect our children from gender ideology. Our goal is to make Europe strong again—built on strong nations and strong states. The concept of a United States of Europe is unacceptable to us. Brussels’ overreach is also unacceptable to us,” he said.

He reaffirmed that Fidesz and FPO will continue to work together to bring about the patriotic shift that can make Europe strong once again, and thanked the FPO for consistently standing with Hungary.

In response to a journalist’s question, Szijjarto said the Hungarian government does not “prefer” the FPO: that is for Austrian voters to decide.

I do not belong to the liberal mainstream that believes it knows what is best for another country. We are tired of constant meddling in each other’s domestic political processes. Liberals love to lecture others on how things should be done. We leave these decisions to Austrian voters. If they choose to send the FPO into government next time, we will of course welcome that; if they decide otherwise, we will respect that,

the Hungarian foreign minister explained.

“And naturally, if I travel to Austria, I will speak with the leaders of the largest party about bilateral issues, because the FPO has clear views on Austrian–Hungarian relations, and as Hungary’s foreign minister, I am interested in what Austria’s largest party thinks about our cooperation,” he added.

Cover photo: Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Christian Hafenecker, Secretary General of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) (Photo: AFP)