Manfred Weber, the president of the European People’s Party, welcomed the centrist Tisza party after its electoral gains in Hungary. Tisza, a newcomer in Hungarian politics, won seven of Hungary’s 21 European Parliament seats, surpassing Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party. Weber congratulated Tisza on its success, calling it a democratic achievement and welcoming them to join the center-right EPP. He noted that the addition of seven Tisza MEPs could increase the EPP’s seats in the European Parliament.
During a meeting with Tisza leader Peter Magyar and party members in Budapest, Weber expressed his support for their membership in the EPP. Magyar described the opportunity as the beginning of a fruitful European friendship, emphasizing the EPP’s crucial role in EU decision-making. The Tisza party has worked out technical and content details for joint work with the EPP, indicating their willingness to collaborate. The final decision on Tisza’s membership will be made by the EPP’s 83 members on Monday.
While Tisza MEPs will join the parliamentary group of the EPP, they will not join the alliance itself at the moment. Magyar aims for his party to be firmly centrist and focus on tackling corruption to improve the quality of life in Hungary. He has emerged as a threat to Prime Minister Orban’s control, promising to restore democratic checks and balances. While Fidesz won big in Hungary’s 2024 EU elections, they lost significant support, with their opponents failing to meet the threshold for entry into the European Parliament.
The situation of the EPP not having a proper Hungarian member party is expected to change with Tisza’s potential membership. Analysts believe that the addition of Tisza MEPs could further increase the number of EPP seats in the European Parliament. Magyar’s focus on anti-corruption measures and commitment to improving Hungarian quality of life have resonated with voters, leading to the Tisza party’s success in the elections. Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU in July adds significance to these developments, highlighting the changing political landscape in the country.
