Daily Finland
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for eliminating the European Union's unanimous vote principle in the areas of foreign and security policy and replacing it with the majority vote principle seen in democracies, reported dpa. "In a democracy, the majority principle is the norm and unanimity the exception," Wadephul said during a joint press conference with his Irish counterpart, Helen McEntee, in Dublin. Ireland takes over the EU Council presidency in July. "And we should make the norm of democracy the norm in the European Union as well," Wadephul said. Only in this way could Europe remain able to act. After the elections in Hungary on April 12 and the defeat of Viktor Orbán, there is now a good window of time that has to be used, he said. Seen as Russia-friendly, Orbán had held up EU votes over the 16 years he has led Hungary. "Every month counts, every week even," Wadephul warned. Blockades like those seen in the past, particularly in recent weeks, "are no longer something we can afford in this world," Wadephul said. Times were too serious for that. Shortly before he was defeated, Orbán blocked an EU €90 billion loan for Ukraine in late March, drawing the ire, among others, of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who called it "an act of gross disloyalty." He said "there has never been anything like it." On Wednesday, EU countries agreed to unlock the loan and impose new sanctions on Russia, after Hungary dropped its months-long opposition. The winner of the Hungarian parliamentary election, Péter Magyar, is expected to take office in two and a half weeks. Expectations are that the Central European country is to become a reliable partner again, according to Magyar's plans.
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