The Moderate Party’s MEP Tomas Tobé is intervening in another country’s domestic politics just before the election in Hungary. While he and the Moderates warn against foreign influence, he himself is launching harsh attacks against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in a clear attempt to persuade Hungarians to vote him out, arguing that Orbán only makes Hungary poorer. The liberal Moderate leader describes Orbán as corrupt and calls him a “Trojan horse” working for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. These statements raise questions about the boundary between legitimate political criticism and improper election interference.
It is in a video clip on social media that the Moderate leader intervenes in the Hungarian election, which takes place on April 12, calling the Hungarian government’s diplomatic relations with Russia a “Trojan horse for Putin in the EU.”
Tobé, who over the years has become known for his liberal outbursts, has also attacked US President Donald Trump with the words “Fuck Trump,” and called it “completely scandalous” to want to negotiate peace with Russia in the ongoing war.
READ MORE: Top Moderate: ‘Fuck Trump’
With little time left before the Hungarian election, the Moderate EU leader has expressed great concern about Swedish tax money going to Hungary—but not about EU funds in general. He also does not seem concerned about the extensive billions being sent to Ukraine, despite reports of corruption and uncertainties about how the money is used and the results achieved so far.
READ ALSO: Tomas Tobé: ‘Completely scandalous’ to want to negotiate peace with Putin
That Hungary receives EU funding, something most member states also do, is nonetheless a major problem according to the Moderate Party’s MEP. He uses the word “corruption” to describe Orbán’s time in power and claims to protect Swedish taxpayers’ money. Those are words Tobé would never use in relation to, for example, Ukraine, despite both extensive corruption problems and billions in Swedish tax money going there.
READ ALSO: Zelensky’s Close Aide Resigns After Anti-Corruption Raid
– In about a month, Hungary will go to the polls, and it is extremely important for Europe. We have seen how Viktor Orbán has not only made Hungary poorer. We see extensive corruption with EU funds, which are fundamentally Swedish taxpayers’ money. But perhaps even more serious is that he acts as a kind of Trojan horse for Putin, he says and continues:
– He does everything he can to make us not support Ukraine and to weaken Europe. I hope the Hungarians make a wise decision and retire him.
The Moderates Intervened in the Election in Georgia
The Moderate Party acted similarly in Georgia, which is not even an EU country. In connection with the election there at the end of 2024, a delegation of politicians from several EU countries went to the country to protest the election result and used various references to Russia to question the outcome.
READ MORE: Sweden On Site Protesting the Election in Georgia
Intervening in domestic politics and accusing the prime minister of corruption and treason. “Hope the Hungarians make a wise decision and retire him”
The Swedish ruling party, the Moderates, sent a high-ranking politician to participate in protests in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. The task went to the Chairman of the EU Committee, MP Erik Ottosson (M), who joined the demonstration and spoke to Georgian citizens about how they should vote. This would likely be classified as foreign interference—something the same party warns against at home.
READ ALSO: Kristersson Warns About Election Interference and Refers to Romania
– I think I was the only one from Sweden, Erik Ottosson told Samnytt.
When Samnytt wanted to ask questions about the speeches Ottosson made to the crowd in the non-EU country during the election, the elected Moderate declined and wanted to keep a lid on it.
– I decline an interview, was the response.
Wants to Limit Freedom of Expression in the EU
At the beginning of last summer, Tomas Tobé wrote an op-ed in Dagens Industri expressing his intention to stop what he defines as “Russian disinformation” by increasing surveillance, regulation, and possible sanctions against actors and opinions on digital platforms.
Measures that raise questions about the liberal party’s respect for freedom of expression and democratic principles.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe. But for some, it’s synonymous with defending Russia’s disinformation campaigns to divide Europe. I don’t buy that at all,” Tobe argued on the social media platform X.
READ MORE: Moderate MEP Wants to Curtail Citizens’ Freedom of Expression if ‘Russian Disinformation’ Spreads
The statement came in the context of the Romanian presidential election, which was annulled after the national conservative Călin Georgescu won the first round. The Romanian establishment claimed his victory was due to Russian influence, something that the US Senate Judiciary Committee, in a report, determined was overstated and essentially amounted to falseaccusations.