Brussels petrified of Orban takeover after EU President plans to step down
EU leaders will not want to see Viktor Orban's influence increase.
There will now be a mad scramble following an announcement from EU Council President Charles Michel.
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European Council President Charles Michel recently proved Brexiteers predictions correct, declaring that the EU must prepare to expand by 2030.
This deadline for further enlargement of the bloc disproved those who claimed another expansion of open borders wasn't on the cards. It clearly is.
That proved to be one of the Belgian's last interventions in his current role, as he now intends to stand as a candidate in the European Elections to become an MEP.
As I recently covered in another exclusive article for GB News members, the two most popular parties even in Belgium currently are both Eurosceptic: Vlaams Belang and to a lesser extent the New Flemish Alliance.
So as Charles Michel seemingly focuses on entering the European Parliament amid a rising tide of Euroscepticism even in the heart of Brussels, his departure has triggered major alarm bells for many in the EU.
That's because Michel's exit from the European Council President post creates a vacancy.
If leaders from across the EU now can't agree on a replacement for his role, it means European Union meetings are set to be led by the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
That's because Hungary is set to take over the rotating presidency of the Council later this year, straight after the European Elections.
It is truly a nightmare scenario for the EU establishment, with Orban's Hungary increasingly hostile to the likes of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In fact Hungary put up billboards featuring von der Leyen with the tagline: "Let's not dance to their tunes."
When asked about this level of animosity, an EU Commission spokesman said of von der Leyen: "I showed the pictures to the President. She did not bat an eyelid. Completely unfazed.
"We know it is not the first time, it is probably not the last time. We have business to do. We have crises to manage, we have policies to implement."
Hungary has repeatedly blocked tens of billions of Euros being given to Ukraine, with Orban accusing Brussels of blackmail.
The EU did recently release some €10 billion of frozen funds to Hungary, close to a year after the funding was blocked.
Billions more are still being withheld though, as Orban's stance stands increasingly at odds with a European Union moving forward with plans to open membership talks with Ukraine.
So there will certainly now be a dash by the EU establishment to stop Orban leading the European Council, even temporarily.
