Viktor Orbán’s views on the death penalty could push Hungary further to the margins of EU politics

Abolishing the death penalty is a precondition for membership of the European Union and opposition to capital punishment forms one of the key elements of the EU’s human rights policy. Gergő Závecz writes on recent statements by the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, in which he expressed support for opening up a debate on the subject. He notes that while Hungarian public opinion appears supportive of reinstating the death penalty, Orbán’s precise motivations in raising the subject are unclear.