Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attends a ceremony during the 171th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1848 revolution and war of independence against the Habsburg rule, in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, March 15, 2019. (Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI via AP)
BUDAPEST, Hungary 鈥� 聽Hungarians want strong new leaders for Europe and a 鈥渇resh start鈥� to halt the continent鈥檚 decline amid Muslim immigration, Hungary鈥檚 populist prime minister said Friday as he looked ahead to May鈥檚 European Parliament elections.
鈥淲e鈥檙e the ones who want a strong Europe, strong nation-states and strong new leaders at Europe鈥檚 fore,鈥� Viktor Orban told a crowd gathered at the National Museum for commemorations of Hungary鈥檚 1848 revolution against the Habsburgs.
鈥淲e want a fresh start to stop Europe鈥檚 decline, to put an end to the fever dreams about a United States of Europe and to let Europe again belong to the Europeans.鈥�
Orban also took pride his country鈥檚 role in stopping 鈥渢he migrant invasion鈥� of the continent, when Hungary built fences on its southern borders in late 2015 to divert the migrant flow.
鈥淲e wish for the veil to fall from the eyes of the people of Europe, so they can see and understand that without Christian culture there will be no free life in Europe,鈥� said Orban, who sees Muslim immigrants as threats to Europe鈥檚 lifestyle.
鈥淲ithout defending our Christian culture, we will lose Europe and Europe will no longer belong to Europeans.鈥�
Despite his fiery speech, Orban toned down his message from previous speeches on the commemoration day.
He once compared EU officials to Soviet troops, and this year he did not mention by name some of his favorite targets of recent years, like European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Hungarian-American financier George Soros.
On Wednesday, Europe鈥檚 main center-right group, the European People鈥檚 Party, will debate the possible suspension or expulsion of Orban鈥檚 ruling Fidesz party, requested for now by 13 of the EPP鈥檚 49 parties.
After years of quarrels, some EPP members say Orban 鈥� who returned to power in 2010 and has become a role model for Europe鈥檚 far-right for his anti-immigration, anti-European Union rhetoric and autocratic style 鈥� has strayed too far from Christian Democratic values.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also spoke at Friday鈥檚 commemoration, highlighting centuries of Polish-Hungarian friendship.
Orban said last week that he would seek to form an alliance with Poland鈥檚 ruling Law and Justice party, helmed by his ally Jaroslaw Kaczynski, if Fidesz is ousted from the EPP. / gsg