Hungary's Viktor Orban faces expulsion from the EPP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban could face expulsion from the European People's Party (EPP) political group next month.

The Hungarian prime minister and his Fidesz party will be on the agenda at a gathering of the powerful center-right bloc on 20 March, ahead of European Parliament elections in May.

The European commission accused Orban's government of a propagating a "shocking" and "ludicrous conspiracy theory", after it launched a poster campaign attacking the European commission leader, Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Hungarian government campaign accused officials in Brussels of plotting to impose migration policies that go against Hungary's interests.

A few months before European elections, the poster shows the European commission president alongside the Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros, a familiar target in Hungary.

"You have the right to know what Brussels is planning to do," the poster says. On its official Facebook page, the Hungarian government says the poster is part of an information campaign to tell the public about Brussels' migration plans, which it claims "fundamentally endangered Hungary's safety".

Voices speaking out in defense of Juncker suggest that Orban will face a renewed push to oust him from the EPP.

Petri Sarvamaa, a Finnish Christian Democrat MEP, told the Guardian that Orban should not be in the EPP.

"Obviously Fidesz led by Orban doesn't share the values of the EPP. I would go as far and call them an undemocratic force," said Sarvamaa. 

Two EPP sources told the Guardian that Orban and his Fidesz party would be up for discussion at the meeting, even though no official disciplinary procedure has been launched.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the most prominent national EPP leader, last week defended the Commission president. "Jean-Claude Juncker has my full solidarity," she said.

Orban, however, has remained defiant in the face of criticism from Brussels, insisting that "Hungary will not tolerate being dictated to by Western Europe."

A long-term critic of the EU, Orban has accused NGOs and critical media of being part of a plot orchestrated by Soros to send millions of people to Hungary.

Orban has spoken of his hopes that the next European Parliament will be dominated by anti-immigration parties.

Speaking last month, the Hungarian government's chief spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, dismissed suggestions that Fidesz would be forced to leave the EPP. "We belong there, we are members and our election campaign is going to be in line with the European People's party."

Contact the writer at jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com