In two weeks, Hungary will succeed Belgium as President of the Council of the European Union. The slogan that Orban’s country conjured up for this purpose – ‘Make Europe Great Again’ – will prove popular in far-right circles.
Every six months, the Council of the European Union, the institution that represents the member states at European level, has a new president. On July 1, it will be Hungary’s turn. The country has been following an illiberal course under the autocrat Viktor Orban. The rule of law in the country has been eroded and the country is constantly at odds at European level, for example when it comes to support for Ukraine.
Nevertheless, the Hungarians say they are “excited” about their presidency. A logo has already been developed, in which the European and Hungarian flag together form a Rubik’s cube. And a slogan was announced on Tuesday: “Make Europe Great Again”.
This immediately brings to mind Donald Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” during the 2016 American presidential elections. Those four simple words carry a lot of meaning, whether they are used in America or Europe. It expresses criticism of a political system, along with a longing for times gone by and the signal that the politician who uses it knows what needs to change.
At the unveiling of the motto it was denied that it is a reference to the 2016 Republican presidential campaign. But inspired by Trump or not, “Make Europe Great Again” is not an innocent slogan that emerged only yesterday. It will undoubtedly resonate in far-right circles, where the slogan has been around for some time. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban used the phrase during a speech to parliament in February. A Romanian institute close to the far right organized a conference in April called ‘Make Europe Great Again’. And some time ago, in 2020, a member of the German far-right party AfD published a book entitled – indeed – Make Europe great again. The author is currently under investigation for bribery and money laundering. He is suspected of having received money from Russia in a campaign.
