German weekly Der Spiegel has published a sharp attack on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, arguing that the European Union should no longer tolerate Hungary’s membership if Orbán’s Fidesz party wins the upcoming parliamentary elections in April.

„A Cunning Democracy Fraudster”

The article, written by journalist Timo Lehmann, describes Orbán as a „cunning democracy fraudster” who undermines the rule of law, represses minorities, attacks press freedom, and persecutes the opposition. The magazine also takes aim at what it calls Orbán’s cynical electoral campaign, in which he poses as a pacifist while claiming that the EU wants to send young men to war against Russia.

Der Spiegel argues that it is unacceptable to continue tolerating a situation in which the head of government in Budapest stirs up anti-EU sentiment, blocks EU-wide decisions, and simultaneously draws on EU funds to fuel what the magazine describes as his own corrupt system of power.

„Let Him Ask Moscow for Money”

The weekly acknowledges that formally expelling Hungary from the EU is legally complicated, but argues that in practice there are meaningful tools available — including restricting Hungary’s access to the single market or stripping Budapest of its voting rights in the EU Council. The goal, as Der Spiegel frames it, would be to send an unambiguous message: Hungary is welcome as a democratic country, but not under a Putin-style autocrat like Orbán.

With negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget framework for 2028–2034 approaching, the magazine calls on Germany, as the bloc’s largest net contributor, to apply pressure on member states that are still holding back action against Hungary. „If Orbán believes his real friends are in Moscow, let him ask for money there — not from us,” the article concludes.

Elections Approaching — and Orbán Is Trailing

Hungarian parliamentary elections are scheduled for April 12. Recent polls show that the opposition party TISZA holds a significant lead over Orbán’s Fidesz, adding political urgency to the debate over Hungary’s future relationship with the EU.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Orbán has written to European Council President António Costa requesting that the EU send a reconnaissance mission to assess the condition of the Druzhba pipeline on Ukrainian territory. Hungary and Slovakia have accused Kyiv of deliberately halting Russian oil deliveries through the pipeline, which was damaged in a Russian attack in late January. Ukraine says it is under repair. In response, Budapest and Bratislava have released strategic oil reserves and threatened to cut energy supplies to Ukraine, while Hungary has also announced it will block the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia and a €90 billion loan to Kyiv until oil transit resumes.