Czech and Hungarian presidents to meet

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will visit Prime Minister Andrej Babis today.

Today’s meeting follows a recent visit by the two leaders to a border fence between the EU and Serbia. Expect a discussion on immigration as both leaders are facing elections soon and are campaigning on an anti-migrant platform.

Over the past few years, Orban has grown increasingly radical on immigration policy. His views have only been strengthened following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, as he believes that Muslim immigration to the EU is a threat to cultural identity. Comparatively, Babis’ views on immigration tend to align with Orban. He has argued that preventing immigration will protect national interests, living standards and national culture. Additionally, Babis refuses to cede national power to Brussels over immigration.

Today’s meeting will likely end as a public demonstration of Hungary and the Czech Republic’s commitment to an anti-immigration policy. In the short-term, expect continued collaboration between the two leaders as election season looms. Expect public disagreement from the EU in response to their continued collaboration. In the case that Orban and Babis take more anti-immigration action, expect a response from the EU through its European Court of Justice.

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