Hungary no longer a full democracy

Hungary no longer a full democracy

Subject : Polity/International Relations

Context : Hungary is no longer a “full democracy” and the European Union needs to do everything to bring it back into line with European values, the European Parliament said.

Concept :

• EU Legislators voted in favour to now describe Hungary (ruled by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who maintains close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin) “a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy” in “serious breach” of EU democratic norms.
• The vote was largely symbolic and does not change the course of the Union’s decision-making, which requires unanimity of all 27 member states — including Hungary — to adopt major issues, such as sanctions on Russia.
• The European Union is a group of 27 countries that operate as a cohesive economic and political block.
• 19 of these countries use EURO as their official currency. 8 EU members (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden) do not use the euro.

European Parliament

• It is the only parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU) that is directly elected by EU citizens aged 18 years or older. Together with the Council of the European Union (also known as the ‘Council’), it exercises the legislative function of the EU.
• European Parliament does not possess as much legislative power as its member countries’ parliaments do.

Council of the European Union:

• It is part of the essentially bicameral EU legislature (the other legislative body being the European Parliament) and represents the executive governments (Minister) of the EU’s member states.
• In the Council, government ministers from each EU country meet to discuss, amend and adopt laws, and coordinate policies. The ministers have the authority to commit their governments to the actions agreed on in the meetings.