Burak Bir
12 February 2025•Update: 13 February 2025
LONDON
The Hungarian prime minister on Wednesday met with the leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), claiming that the far-right party represents Germany's "future."
"It’s completely clear that the AfD is the future," Viktor Orban said at a joint news conference with AfD Co-Chairwoman Alice Weidel following their meeting in Budapest, Hungary's capital.
The Hungarian premier praised the AfD's party program on immigration and the economy, saying it would be "beneficial for Hungary" also if it could be implemented in Germany.
The meeting took place less than two weeks before Germany's parliamentary election, in which the AfD is expected to finish second, with Weidel's far-right party polling at around 20%.
Both leaders sharply criticized the EU's immigration and climate policies, claiming they harm the European economy.
Orban believes that both policies should be "thrown out," whereas Weidel claims that Germany is ruined by "green ideology."
The Hungarian premier said the EU is in "great trouble" because it pursues policies "against the people, while the people clearly state that they do not wish to see migration."
"Hungary is the bulwark against illegal migration, and we as Alternative for Germany also want no illegal migration in our country anymore,” Weidel added for her part.
"Germany has become a weak country with weak leadership and weak economic policies," she said, adding that the backbone of the energy policy has been ruined with "a completely wrong energy policy, starting with (former Chancellor) Angela Merkel."
'Not a single illegal immigrant in Hungary'
Weidel said they want to "free" Germany, and as a first step, her party would reform the internal intelligence and Office for the Protection of the Constitution "because they don't work according to their mission."
Orban said there is not a single illegal immigrant in Hungary at the moment, and that is why they have to pay a fine of €1 million ($1.03 million) a day.
Last year, the European Court of Justice fined Hungary €1 million a day until it complied with EU refugee laws.
However, the Hungarian premier said it still costs less for Hungary than letting in illegal migrants.
"The American liberal progressive boots have been removed from our Hungarian chest," said Orban, referring to Donald Trump taking office as US president.
He added, "There were two boots on our chest, the Brussels progressives and the US liberal administration; one of them has now been removed."
The prime minister also criticized EU leaders for not taking necessary action in the face of US tariffs, saying that they are just "sitting" and awaiting their fate.
Rather, Orban suggested that the EU needs to provide recommendations for the US and start negotiations as trade tensions soared between the US and the EU after the White House slapped additional tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum.
