Hungary’s Orban erects billboards vilifying EU’s von der Leyen.

On Monday, the ruling party in Hungary published billboards that vilified Ursula Von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. This marks the first time the party has made her a personal target in a campaign similar to one waged against her predecessor, which angered Brussels.

The billboards feature Von der Leyen beside Alex Soros, the son of liberal Hungarian-born financier George Soros, who is a recurring target of hate from Orban’s Fidesz Party. The billboards were erected overnight to launch a campaign for the European parliamentary election that will take place in June of next year.

“Let’s not dance to their tunes” is the slogan that has been adopted. Soros is Jewish, and some critics perceive the critical position he plays in Fidesz propaganda as evidence of anti-Semitism. However, Fidesz vehemently denies any such anti-Semitic sentiments exist within their party.

Eric Mamer, a spokesman for the European Commission, stated that the billboards did not bother von der Leyen in any way.

“I presented the president with the photographs. She did not show any sign of surprise. “I’m unfazed by it,” was his response. “We know this is not the first time, and it is doubtful that this will be the last time. There is work that has to be done. Some crises need to be managed, and policies that need to be implemented.

In 2019, Brussels issued a reprimand in response to similar billboards that displayed former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker with George Soros. Fidesz pulled them down because the dominant center-right EPP group in the European Parliament threatened to oust the Hungarian party if they weren’t removed. After two years, Fidesz eventually withdrew from the EPP.

On Saturday, Orban, whose government has been trying to clear billions of euros in EU subsidies stopped by Brussels over Fidesz’s policies, stated that Hungary “must say no to the current Europe model built in Brussels.” This comes as Orban’s administration has been working to unblock the funds.

As the EU country that is most friendly to Russia and skeptical of plans to grant Ukraine a road to join the bloc, which is slated to be the top issue at the next EU summit, which will take place in the middle of December, Hungary is expected to be a vital focus of the meeting’s attention.

On Friday, Orban posed the question to Hungarians in a poll as to whether or not the European Union should extend membership or provide further funding to Ukraine.