Over 80 European Editors Petition Hungary Over Foreign-Funding Media Law

Hungary's nationalist Fidesz party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has introduced a controversial bill targeting media outlets and NGOs receiving foreign funding, which critics argue aims to stifle dissent and curtail press freedoms. The legislation mandates listing organizations with foreign financial support and empowers the government to restrict or close them if deemed a threat to national interests, a move widely condemned by Hungarian media, civil society groups, and over 80 European editors who signed a petition urging the EU to intervene. These critics compare the law to Russia's 2012 'foreign agent' legislation, warning it represents an authoritarian tactic that threatens democratic discourse in Hungary and across Europe. Supporters of the bill claim it is a necessary measure to protect national sovereignty and counter foreign interference, asserting that only those serving foreign interests have reason to fear the law. Despite protests and international criticism, the Hungarian Parliament is expected to pass the bill, leveraging Fidesz's parliamentary majority. This development has sparked a broader debate on press freedom and democratic values within the EU, highlighting tensions between national sovereignty and international human rights standards.