Arte - Hello, Dictator Orban, the EU and the Rule of Law (2020)

“The dictator is coming.” The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, laughs and makes small talk with his colleagues while they wait to greet the heads of state as they arrive for the EU summit in Riga. When the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives, Juncker raises his hand and says “Hello dictator!” Immediately afterwards he laughs, pats Orban on the cheek and tries to embrace him. This strange greeting is an apt symbol for the problems the European Union face with regard to the situation in Hungary. One of the leaders of a member state is openly flirting with authoritarian and non-democratic values. The summit scene may say a lot about male friendships in politics. But above all it says something about the relationship between Orban and the EU. A relationship that has been characterized by helplessness for years. How can it be explained that the Hungarian prime minister is overturning his country's political system and openly turning it into an “illiberal democracy” while the EU has no other choice but to stand by and watch the violation of its fundamental values? It is a struggle about power and billions. Since the summer of 2020, the majority of EU states have been fighting to make the granting of EU funds conditional. Only those who abide by the democratic rules should receive funds in the future. A rule-of-law mechanism is to guarantee this. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is vehemently opposed. For good reason? He has long been targeted by critics. In “Hello, Dictator,” Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn calls Hungary a “shackled democracy.” For months, the European community of values is struggling over its position. With his blackmailing veto, Orban plunges the EU into a deep crisis, in which Chancellor Merkel finally mediates. Is it appeasement with the autocrat? In his analytical road-movie, director Michael Wech goes in search of clues throughout Europe.

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