Shocking proposal from the US to the UN: ‘Orbán as Secretary-General’
The Wall Street Journal: China and Russia are also backing the former Hungarian prime minister. In Budapest, he governed in an undemocratic manner, opposing the EU and migrants
An honorary ‘general’ of the American MAGA movement, who is also favoured by Moscow. The figure suddenly and unexpectedly put forward by the Trump administration to lead the United Nations in the future has shaken up what had until now been a sluggish race for the post of Secretary-General: Viktor Orbán, the controversial and authoritarian former conservative leader of Hungary, who was soundly defeated at home in the last elections despite the White House’s explicit support, and who has always been extremely close to both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
US administration officials have aggressively unveiled their campaign in support of Orbán in the pages of the Wall Street Journal, which cited sources from three countries, but primarily from the US. Trump’s aides have described him precisely as a general in a UN army otherwise made up of bureaucrats. ‘A dream candidate’ for the ‘Make America Great Again’ movement, they added, given his track record in defending Western civilisation against immigration, freedom of expression, an independent judiciary and the values of liberal democracy.
It is unclear how serious the US proposals are, and negative reactions were not long in coming: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the idea as ‘ridiculous’. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha sarcastically reminded Orban of his “refined skill in using the veto and blackmail to block important EU decisions”, including those concerning Kyiv as it grapples with the Russian invasion.
It cannot be ruled out that Washington’s move may turn out to be yet another disruptive manoeuvre by Trump’s chaotic foreign policy and his attacks on international and multilateral organisations, which he condemns as anti-American. White House aides, however, have already taken the first concrete steps: they have directly sounded out Orbán’s willingness to step in, which he is said to have offered on condition that his success is guaranteed.
What’s more: they claimed to be able to count on at least eight, and perhaps ten, votes amongst the 15 members of the Security Council at the UN Headquarters. Nine votes are needed, without any vetoes, to proceed with the official recommendation of a candidate. Washington has also indicated that it has secured the crucial and predictable support of Russia, as well as that of China, with which Orbán had forged significant ties.
