Hungary faces point of no return under Orbán, says Polish minister – from experience
Hungary may have reached a point where it cannot reverse its defiance of EU laws and erosion of civil society as long as Viktor Orbán remains in power, Poland’s justice minister, Adam Bodnar, has warned.
Drawing from Poland’s recent experience, Bodnar stated that illiberal governments rarely change course under external pressure without a change in leadership. Speaking to Politico in Brussels, he explained,
“The example of Poland shows that unless you have a change of leadership, it might be extremely difficult to reverse [course on] rule of law and to regain democratic values.”
His remarks come in response to EU Rule-of-Law Commissioner Michael McGrath’s recent statement that it is “never too late” for Hungary to align with EU principles. However, Hungary risks losing EUR 1 billion in frozen EU funds due to ongoing rule-of-law violations.
Even if Orbán is defeated, it will not be easy to repair the damage
Bodnar cautioned that even if opposition leader Péter Magyar defeats Orbán in the 2026 election, the extensive damage to Hungary’s institutions and civil society after 16 years of Fidesz rule would require immense effort to repair. With a weaker civil society compared to Poland, the European Commission faces a daunting task in reintegrating Hungary into the EU fold, he added.
Having served as Poland’s Ombudsman from 2015 to 2021, Bodnar was a vocal critic of the nationalist Law and Justice government before becoming justice minister under Prime Minister Donald Tusk in 2023.
His comments coincide with preparations for Poland to take over the EU Council presidency from Hungary in January. Bodnar emphasised strengthening civil society protections across the bloc, especially for judges facing pressure and intimidation.
“Judges must be free to speak about their circumstances,” he said, referencing the challenges Hungarian judges face. “We have a duty to protect all independent voices.”
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