The Hungarian government is seeking to extend its state of emergency until November 14, 2025, citing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its spillover effects on asylum policy, the economy, and energy security. The proposal will be debated in Parliament on Thursday, according to Hungarian media outlet atv.hu.
Originally declared on November 1, 2022, the emergency decree has been periodically extended. The most recent extension, approved in November 2024, pushed the end date to May 18, 2025. If approved again, the emergency powers will remain in place through mid-November, giving the government broader authority to govern by decree without parliamentary oversight.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s administration argues that the war in Ukraine and the resulting humanitarian and geopolitical fallout continue to impact Hungary. “The circumstances have not changed,” the government said in its justification, citing concerns about migration pressures, economic disruptions, and energy instability.
However, civil liberties groups and opposition parties are raising red flags. The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) warned that the prolonged emergency allows the government to sidestep democratic processes, weaken legislative oversight, and curtail fundamental rights. “This is rule by decree,” TASZ stated, arguing that the government is bending the rules to suit its own political agenda.
Orbán’s government first implemented a state of emergency in 2016 during the European migration crisis, and it has since become a recurring governance tool.
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