HUNGARY HAS ANNOUNCED its new slogan ahead of its Government taking over the Presidency of the Council of the EU next month.

“Make Europe Great Again,” a post on X, formerly Twitter, read from the new Hungarian-run account, as its far-right Government prepares to chair and set the agenda of major EU decisions for the next six months.

The Council of the EU is made up of the relevant European ministers and are co-legislators with the European Parliament – meaning both groups have an equal say on the final decisions to pass a new law in the bloc.

Every six months, a different member state Government takes over as the chair of this council – allowing them to set the agendas for meetings to take place, set a work programme for ministers and negotiate major decisions at EU level.

Ireland last held the presidency in 2013 and quickly tabled talks to set up EU trade arrangements with the United States, finalised the previous European budget and pushed for development aid to be sent to Mali, among other things.

Make Europe Great Again.🇪🇺
The official slogan of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. 🇭🇺🇪🇺 #HU24EU pic.twitter.com/Wl83QTO6SN

— Hungary in the EU (@HungaryintheEU) June 18, 2024

For some time, MEPs have been anxious over the Hungarian Presidency, in fear that progressive decisions, namely the enlargement of the EU, will be left behind.

The new slogan, posted today, is a spin off of the slogan for former US President, and close ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign: ‘Make America Great Again‘.

Since Trump used the slogan, it has been used to promote right-wing, conservative values and as a means to generate wealth for conservative personalities in the United States. 

Speaking to reporters today, on the launch of its campaign, Hungarian EU affairs minister János Bóka said that making Europe “great again” has been a position held by the Hungarian government for over a decade.

Bóka added that the slogan was “a reference to an active presidency” and manifests that the EU “together we should be stronger than individually but that we should be allowed to remain who we are when we come together”.

Questioned on it’s similarities with Trump’s slogan, the minister added: “You don’t have the sense of déjà vu because of Trump’s slogan. I don’t know if Donald Trump ever wanted to make Europe great again.”

Accession talks with Ukraine

In the months running up to the Hungarian Government’s take over, ministers from across the EU have been keen the table and adopt motions relating to the beginning of accession talks with Ukraine.

Last month a number of European Affairs ministers, including Ireland’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, supported membership talks with Ukraine to begin as soon as possible – with many politicians telling reporters that they’re likely to be kick started later this month.

Orbán, Russia’s closest ally in the EU, and his far-right Fidesz party – who secured more than two-thirds of the vote in the recent European elections at home – have voiced staunch opposition to the idea of Ukraine becoming a member state in the past.

The country’s government has also taken steps to slow down the process as much as possible, such as using its veto at the European Council to stop the provision of monetary aid to Ukraine in protest of the EU freezing its funding in 2022.

Asked about the beginning of accession talks today, Bóka said the issue of “opening chapters” between the EU and Ukraine will not be raised “at all” during the Hungarian presidency.

The minister did not clarify if this meant that the Hungarian government expects that accession talks will begin sooner than the start of its term or that they would not allocate time in the Council’s agenda for the continuation of those talks, if are to begin earlier.