Leader of Finnish ECR member party calls Fidesz's attitude on Ukraine disgusting after Orbán announces they would gladly join ECR

Viktor Orbán announced on Tuesday that his party, Fidesz would like to join the Eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party family in the European Parliament. The Hungarian Prime Minister said he considered it important for right-wing parties to work together, as well as for Italian Giorgia Meloni, the party family's president (and also Italian prime minister), and French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to reach an agreement.

The pro-Putin Le Pen partly financed her presidential campaign with a HUF 4 billion (10,2 million euro) loan from Hungary's MKB Bank, owned by Lőrinc Mészáros (Viktor Orbán's childhood friend who is now Hungary's richest man-ed).

The Italian prime minister largely enjoys good relations with the Hungarian government. In an interview published in the Italian right-wing daily Il Giornale on Tuesday, Orbán noted that "There are issues that divide us, but Giorgia and I have known each other for years and she is doing a very good job in government", he said, referring to the differences of opinion that exist on the war in Ukraine between Fidesz and some ECR parties.

But not everyone in the ECR has a good opinion of Fidesz. As 444 reported, based on Finland's Helsingin Sanomat, Finance Minister Riikka Purra, chairwoman of the ECR member far-right Finns Party, mentioned the Hungarian government party in an election debate on Tuesday.

"The attitude of Hungary's Fidesz towards Ukraine and towards supporting it, as well as its support for Russia, are simply disgusting. We do not share any of it."

– she said.

444 noted that this is not the first time the Finnish party leadership has been critical of Fidesz. In February, one of their MEPs tweeted that he supported Fidesz joining the ECR, but the party removed the post half an hour later and announced that they would not be re-running the MEP in the EP elections.