Chairman of the Bavarian Christian Social Union, Markus Söder, criticized Orbán for meeting with Italian Interior Minister and Lega leader Matteo Salvini on Thursday.
During his visit to Bulgaria, Söder stressed:
It is clear to us: There is not and cannot be cooperation with right-wing populists in Europe.”
An alliance with Salvini, Le Pen and the AfD is simply “a no-go,” and “the Hungarian situation is becoming a difficult matter which we regret,” Söder stated.
He continued by saying, “We hoped that the reprieve given to Hungary by the EPP would be used positively, but a meeting with Salvini is a bad sign.”
The Bavarian politician also called the meeting a harbinger of “bad development” that will most certainly play a role in the examination of Fidesz’s EPP membership.
Fidesz used to be on amicable terms with CSU. This criticism comes after a statement by Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office: Bavarian CSU is Still Hungary’s Friend.
Back in January — in his congratulation letter to Söder — Viktor Orbán called the traditionally close partnership between his ruling Fidesz and Söder’s governing CSU parties an important pillar of Hungarian-Bavarian and Hungarian-German ties.
In the featured photo: Matteo Salvini, Viktor Orbán. Photo Balázs Szecsődi/PM’s Press Office