Why did the EPP vote against Orbán?

On 12 September, the European Parliament voted to pursue disciplinary action against Hungary for breaching the EU's core values. Fabio Wolkenstein explains that the European People's Party (EPP) has faced a difficult balancing act in relation to Viktor Orbán's ruling Fidesz party, with many EPP members critical of Fidesz, but the EPP itself relying on Fidesz MEPs for support in the Parliament. However, the fact that a majority of EPP MEPs voted against Fidesz on 12 September does not mean the EPP is ready to abandon the party: the consequences of the vote are likely to be minimal in the short-term, and the EPP’s leadership may simply have sought to appease Orbán’s critics within their ranks without facing up to the costs of a radical break.