‘MEGA’? Hungary Trolls EU With New Slogan for Bloc Presidency
- Officials say Hungary intends to pursue an “active presidency”
- Orban has styled himself as a dissenter within the bloc
A 'Make Europe Great Again' cap during the final European Parliament election in Krakow, Poland on June 7.
Photographer: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The Hungarian government doesn’t assume the presidency of the European Union until July 1, but Prime Minister Viktor Orban has already antagonized some members of the bloc with his choice of Hungary’s slogan: “Make Europe Great Again.”
The phrase, a nod to the campaign mantra of former US president and Orban friend Donald Trump, was unveiled by Hungary’s EU Affairs Minister Janos Boka in a press conference ahead of the start of the presidency. When asked about the choice, Boka said that the cabinet’s goal was to carry out an “active presidency” for the second half of the year.