Ursula Von der Leyen has taken a humiliating defeat after being forced to hand EU troublemaker Viktor Orban £8.5 billion (€10 billion) in funding.
The funding was initially frozen due to corruption and rule of law concerns with Hungary's government.
While the decision looks like a defeat for the Commission, the EU's ruling body agues it had no choice but to release the mone because Hungary made the necessary reforms and now respects the rule of law.
One EU official told Politico that freezing funding "was actually much more effective than we had expected".
We could keep freezing the funds, but then we would be bending the rule of law,” another said. “If the Commission does not release the funds, Hungary could sue and would likely win,” a senior diplomat insisted.
Orban has been in a battle with the EU in recent months, repeatedly blocking EU plans to continue providing financial support to Ukraine.
He also threatened to derail the EU's plan to grant Ukraine membership, saying Hungary would not take a decision on the nation's accession to the bloc until EU leaders held a "strategic discussion" on the issue.
Hungrary has increasingly been at loggerheads with Von Der Leyen, with President Victor Orban accusing her of "pursuing her own agenda".
Von der Leyen is at odds with Orban on multiple issues, including Hungary's refusal to sanction Russia.
The country has maintained strong economic ties to the Russian regime, and continues to import pipeline oil and gas from Putin.
Meanwhile, there is a growing perception among Hungarian officials that the Commission forces its policies upon member states.
As a result, Orban's Political Director, Balázs Orban, has warned that Hungary’s support for Von der Leyen at next year's EU elections is no longer a given.
Spealing to Politico, he said: "We were very supportive of her.
"But now she’s pushing her own political agenda without consulting member states, on geopolitics, relationship with the U.S. and China, on war issues, sanctions."
He accused Von der Leyen of being at the helm of a "divisive" routine, saying that "the way the Commission is operating is not good for unity".
The political director added: "They come up with a proposal and then put pressure on member states to say yes."
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Orban has been in a battle with the EU in recent months, repeatedly blocking EU plans to continue providing financial support to Ukraine
PA
However, Hungary does not have a veto over the election of the next EU commission chief.
As a member of the council, it has a vote on whether Von der Leyen wil have a second term, but EU leaders are not required to reach a unanimous decision.
