Von der Leyen: EU ready to cooperate with Hungary's new leadership

The European Commission will begin working with the new Hungarian government after election winner Péter Magyar officially takes office and forms a cabinet, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a briefing in Brussels, Report informs.

She stated that the EU intends to immediately establish contact with the new leadership in Budapest and begin working on key issues, including reforms and the release of frozen EU funds.

Von der Leyen emphasized that final expectations for the new government will be determined after its formal inauguration, but Magyar's pre-election statements demonstrate his commitment to the European path and a willingness to cooperate with EU institutions.

Hungary's return to closer engagement with the EU will be an important step in strengthening the union's unity, she noted. With their vote, the Hungarian people reaffirmed their commitment to fundamental freedoms and European integration, she stated.

At the same time, von der Leyen emphasized the need to learn institutional lessons from previous disagreements with Budapest. Specifically, she advocated a transition to a qualified majority mechanism for EU foreign policy decision-making to avoid individual member states blocking initiatives.

It is necessary to seize the momentum to move forward on this issue, she emphasized.

Relations between Brussels and Budapest have previously remained tense amid disagreements over the rule of law, sanctions policy, and support for Ukraine. The EU hopes that the new Hungarian government will be able to accelerate the implementation of necessary reforms and restore full cooperation with the Union.