Passions over Orbán

Passions surrounding Orbán

The US administration has suggested that former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán enter the race for the post of UN Secretary-General, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources in three countries.

A final decision on this matter has not yet been made. A US Department of State spokesperson conceded that the idea might initially seem "crazy." However, judging by previous talks with the Americans, Moscow and Beijing apparently have no objections. The plan is for Orbán to become their consensus candidate. As officials from the US and one other country stated, when the US, Russia, and China want the same thing from the UN Security Council, they usually get it, the publication writes.

According to the State Department official, there are already eight votes for Orbán in the Security Council "with a cushion," and it is possible to reach up to ten of the Council's 15 members. But will Britain and France then become an obstacle to the majority? Usually, these two countries are in no hurry to use their veto power.

It is worth recalling that US President Donald Trump supported Orbán in Hungary's April elections, and Vice President JD Vance campaigned for him. If he enters the UN race, they are expected to support him again, although they are holding off on an announcement until after the US midterm elections, a third source said. US officials themselves approached Orbán to gauge his interest in a UN role. He showed responsiveness, albeit with the reservations typical of a nationalist politician, and does not intend to run unless he is confident of success. Orbán declined to comment.

Other contenders for the Secretary-General post, according to the official from the second country, are all "secretaries"—that is, people with experience in international bureaucratic or backstage diplomatic work. Orbán, on the other hand, would be a true "general." The State Department official agreed, adding that Orbán has the right ideology, knows how to hold onto power in the face of hostility, and would not be intimidated by the Turtle Bay establishment.

Some time after this news appeared in foreign media, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov reported that former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán could still technically be nominated for UN Secretary-General, as the deadline for nominating candidates has not yet expired. "There are no restrictions; we do not rule out the emergence of other candidates," Alimov said, answering a question about the technical possibility of Orbán's nomination for the post.

As renowned political scientist Sergei Mikheyev stated on Vesti FM radio, the main opponents of Orbán's election as UN Secretary-General will be the Europeans. According to the expert, those who actively support Ukraine today, primarily Europeans, will actively interfere with the election of the former Hungarian prime minister to the post of UN Secretary-General. "Orbán has developed good relations with Trump and his administration. They share a number of overlaps in their outlook on life and political issues. And if the former Hungarian prime minister becomes Secretary-General, it will be a 'powerful slap in the face for his competitors and Eurocrats,'" Mikheyev believes.

P.S. As we wrote the other day, Uzbekistan supported the nomination of UAE Minister of State Lana Zaki Nusseibeh for the post of UN Secretary-General. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic. It is interesting: if the United States lobbies for Viktor Orbán's appointment to the post of Secretary-General, will Tashkent's preferences in this matter change?