Von der Leyen ‘didn’t bat an eyebrow’ over Hungary government billboards attacking her, spokesperson says – Europe live

The European Commission’s chief spokesperson, Eric Mamer, appeared to downplay a new Hungarian government campaign that includes billboards depicting the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Open Society Foundations chair, Alex Soros, with the slogan: “Let’s not dance to their tune.”

The campaign has renewed concerns that the government of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán is using antisemitic narratives for political gain at home.

At the commission’s daily press briefing today, Mamer faced several questions regarding the billboards and a related questionnaire the Hungarian government is mailing to each citizen with leading questions criticising Brussels.

But the spokesperson said that the commission would not be drawn into a debate over the questions. “We have no interest in losing time with that sort of issue in the current international context,” he said.

And when it comes to the billboards, he said:

I showed the pictures to the president. She didn’t bat an eyebrow … completely unfazed, OK? Let’s be clear: we know this is not the first time, it’s probably not the last time, we have business to do. We have crises to manage, we have policies to implement, Hungary is part of the European Union … It sits at the table.”

Mamer also said generally that antisemitism was not tolerated in the EU, but did not directly address the issue of whether the billboards were antisemitic.

The commission’s response differs from its approach in 2019, when the Hungarian government ran a similar campaign targeting then commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros.

Back in 2019, the commission said: “It is shocking that such a ludicrous conspiracy theory has reached the mainstream to the extent it has. There is no conspiracy. Hungarians deserve facts not fiction.”

Spanish People’s party (PP) politician Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo, who is half-Argentinian, wrote on social media that “Kirchnerism has been defeated”.

She added:

This is wonderful news for defenders of freedom around the world. The happiness of so many Argentines is also mine.

Javier Ortega Smith, a half-Argentinian politician from Spain’s Vox who was the far-right party’s general secretary until last year, congratulated “the Argentine people for getting rid of Peronism and recovering freedom”.

He also congratulated Victoria Villarruel, writing: “You are going to be the best vice-president Argentina has ever had, guaranteeing the country’s security.”

“Long live freedom, damn it!”

That was the message this morning, accompanied by Argentinian flags, from a social media account of the Spanish conservative People’s party (PP) in the Madrid region, which is run by the populist Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

In a statement, Ayuso said:

It’s obvious that Argentina needs a change. It was unacceptable that one of the most prosperous countries in the world should keep falling year after year into the same thing.

I wish the new government every success and I want them to know that they can count on Madrid, where we’ve worked to defend freedom from day one and where we’ve looked after so many Argentinians who have fled, terrified, from Peronism …

I ask that Spaniards open their eyes and see what can happen to one of the most vibrant democracies in the world when there are no counterweights, no anti-government movements, no respect for property, liberty or business and when we give ourselves over to a system that has reduced this prosperous nation to these depths.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has congratulated Javier Milei, praising him on his “clear stance” in support of Kyiv.

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and leader of the rightwing League, has also congratulated the far-right winner of Argentina’s presidential election, wishing him well in his work.

Katalin Novák, Hungary’s president and a former vice-president of the ruling Fidesz party, has congratulated Javier Milei.

“Congratulations @JMilei for the great victory you have just achieved, being elected as the new president of the great Argentine nation,” Novák wrote on social media.

“From Hungary I wish you strength and perseverance to work for Argentina and for freedom,” she said.

Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party, has congratulated the far-right libertarian Javier Milei on his victory in Argentina’s presidential election.

“Today a path of future and hope opens for Argentines and all of Latin America, which we celebrate in Spain with special joy,” Abascal wrote on the social media platform X, adding:

Long live Spain, long live Argentina, live free of socialism and sovereign!

Milei, who has vowed to take a chainsaw to the state, won 55.69% of the vote compared with 44.3% for his rival, the centre-left finance minister Sergio Massa.

Read more here about Argentina’s election.

Good morning and welcome back to the Europe blog.

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