Hungary's Orban sworn in as prime minister, blasts West in speech

The country's right-wing leader warned against "the great European population replacement programme" in reference to the arrival of migrants in the continent.

On April 3, Orban's right-wing Fidesz party won its fourth consecutive two-thirds majority since 2010, granting it further legislative carte blanche to amend the constitution and fast-track new laws.
Reuters

On April 3, Orban's right-wing Fidesz party won its fourth consecutive two-thirds majority since 2010, granting it further legislative carte blanche to amend the constitution and fast-track new laws.

Fresh from a landslide election win in April, Hungary's Viktor Orban has formally been sworn in as prime minister, launching a fresh attack against Brussels and a "suicidal" West.

Urging the EU to respect the sovereignty of nation states, Orban said "cultural alienation is growing between the western half of Europe and Hungary" on Monday

"That is because we believe in the Christian civilisational foundations of Europe, and in the nation, which Brussels has given up," he told parliament.

He was formally being reelected as premier in the 199-seat assembly by 133 votes to 27 against.

One opposition party walked out of the chamber in protest over what they see as an unlevel playing field, calling the new government "illegitimate".

The central European country is currently in talks with other EU members seeking to push through a Russian oil ban following Moscow's attacks on Ukraine.

Orban, who has sought close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years, has said he would not support the proposed ban, citing his country's dependency on Russian oil.

READ MORE: EU countries split over Russian oil embargo plan

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Orban warns of "era of dangers, uncertainty, and war"

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel both congratulated Orban on Twitter on Monday for his re-election.

In his wide-ranging address, Orban told newly-elected deputies that "the coming decade will be an era of dangers, uncertainty, and war".

Alongside looming economic recession, an energy crisis and the threat of pandemics Europe also has to contend with "a regenerating suicidal wave in the Western world", said the 58-year-old.

He said "gender madness" and "the great European population replacement programme" were "suicidal experiments", evoking a far-right conspiracy theory according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants.

Now transformed into what Orban calls an "illiberal state" Hungary has regularly clashed with Brussels over many issues including rule of law and migration.

READ MORE: EU top court clears way to cut billions of funds to Poland, Hungary

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