Publications · Commentary · 24 Jul 2024
Africa must learn from Europe’s backlash against Viktor Orbán’s power-play diplomacy
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán paid a few hard-to-miss, high-level, surprise visits to celebrate the start of his country's chairmanship of the European Union. In doing so, he caused a diplomatic storm that reverberated across the continent.
First published by Daily Maverick on 24 Jul 2024.
When Hungary used its EU Council presidency to stage an unsanctioned diplomatic offensive, the backlash was swift and instructive. African states navigating their own complex relationships with larger powers have something to learn from both the play and the response — about the limits of unilateral action within multilateral frameworks, and about how institutional coalitions push back.
