Hungary has revealed that the slogan for its upcoming presidency of the European Union will be ‘Make Europe Great Again’ (MEGA).
Observers immediately noted the similarity to the ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) motto deployed by Donald Trump during his successful US presidential campaign in 2016.
Hungary is set to take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1 and will remain in charge until the end of the year. During the six-month period, Hungarian diplomats will chair meetings in Brussels and shape the EU’s political agenda.
Hungary’s minister for European Union Affairs, Janos Boka, told a press conference on Tuesday that the slogan refers to a proactive presidency and aims to show that “together we are stronger than apart,” according to local media.
Boka downplayed the similarity of Hungary’s motto to Trump’s, joking that “I am not aware that Donald Trump has ever wanted to make Europe great,” according to Agence France-Presse.
Hungary is taking over the EU reins in “a very difficult environment,” he added, citing “a war in our neighborhood” in reference to the Ukraine conflict. He also cited illegal immigration as another of the most pressing issues the region must deal with.
Boka went on to say that “we should be allowed to remain who we are when we come together,” according to Politico.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has faced criticism in the EU for pursuing policies that run counter to those of Brussels.
Since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Budapest has refused to provide weapons to Kiev, calling for a diplomatic solution instead, and has maintained economic ties with Russia.
Earlier this year, Orban flew to US to meet with Republican presidential frontrunner Trump. Following the talks, the Hungarian prime minister claimed that Trump had shown himself to be “pro-peace.” That stance puts him in alignment with Hungary, unlike the current US administration and many EU members, Orban added.
Trump, in turn, described Orban as a “fantastic” leader.
Hungary has also faced criticism in the EU for following its own migration policy in an apparent contradiction with the bloc’s rules. The European Court of Justice (ICJ) imposed a €200 million ($216 million) fine on Budapest last week for restricting access to international protection procedures and illegally removing third-country nationals.
Defending his stance on the Ukraine aid and immigration Orban has argued that his policies aim to defend the interests of the Hungarian people.