Hungary’s opposition conservative Fidesz–KDNP alliance has introduced a parliamentary resolution in the National Assembly calling for the rejection of the European Union’s Migration and Asylum Pact, arguing that the legislation infringes upon national sovereignty and exceeds the powers transferred to Brussels.
The proposal, submitted on Wednesday, June 10th, states that the implementation of the pact would violate Hungary’s constitutional identity. It urges the government to “resist the implementation of the pact by all legal and political means,” refrain from supporting related EU initiatives, and avoid submitting a national implementation plan in line with the pact.
The move comes just days before the EU legislation enters into force on Friday, June 12th.
The pact, rejected by some member states but approved by majority voting in 2024, is intended to overhaul the EU’s asylum and migration system by introducing common border procedures, mandatory screening, and a much-criticised ‘solidarity mechanism’ for sharing responsibility among member states.
European right-wing parties have long argued that the pact does not tackle the root causes of illegal migration but merely redistributes its consequences.
Under the solidarity mechanism, countries facing heavy migratory pressure can receive assistance from other member states through the relocation of asylum seekers, financial contributions, or operational support—a new form of compulsory migrant quota.
According to Viktor Marsai, director of Hungary’s Migration Research Institute, the new system raises significant practical and legal questions. Speaking to Mandiner, he argued that many member states have yet to complete the necessary legal harmonisation or build the infrastructure required for the new border procedures, despite the expiry of the two-year transition period.
Marsai also questioned whether the pact’s stricter return rules would prove effective in practice, noting that successful deportations still depend on cooperation from third countries.
He added that opting out of the pact altogether would likely result in further infringement proceedings and financial penalties. Hungary is already facing a daily EU fine of €1 million for rejecting the entry of illegal migrants—a move initiated under the previous conservative government led by Viktor Orbán.
The issue poses a political challenge for Hungary’s new centrist, pro-Brussels Tisza government.
Although the party has criticised aspects of the Migration Pact and pledged to maintain a strict asylum policy, it has so far sent mixed signals over how it intends to deal with Brussels. Marsai suggested that legal obligations under EU law leave little room for manoeuvre, regardless of domestic political rhetoric.
Debate over the pact has intensified across Europe ahead of its implementation.
Supporters say the reforms will strengthen external border controls and create a more orderly asylum system, while critics contend that they will further centralise migration policy and weaken the ability of individual states to control who enters their territory.
The Hungarian opposition’s proposal for parliament to reject the Migration Pact will force Tisza to show its true colours.
