Posted 12/12/2023, 8:38:47 PM
Hungary passes national sovereignty law to defend against perceived foreign meddling before EU elections
- Hungary's parliament passed a "national sovereignty" law to defend against perceived foreign interference ahead of 2023 EU elections
- Law sets up separate authority to monitor risks of foreign political interference and punish it with jail time
- Comes as PM Orban steps up campaigning and has clashed with EU over democratic rights
- Orban threatens to veto EU aid to Ukraine and opposes its EU membership bid
- U.S. and Council of Europe opposed the law for lacking oversight and comparing it to Russia's "foreign agent" regulations