Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban used a conference evaluating the country's EU presidency to launch fresh attacks on Brussels, reiterating his long-standing criticisms of the EU and Western liberalism.

The conference, held in Budapest on 21 January, drew significant attention as Orban cited it as the reason for his absence from Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony. His remarks contained few new elements and avoided addressing pressing domestic issues, drawing criticism from opposition parties.

Orban announced the "second phase" of a campaign aimed at challenging the dominance of Brussels, equating the European Union with what Fidesz describes as a "transatlantic oligarchy." He repeated earlier claims that the EU is controlled by Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros, who allegedly influences its institutions.

"Brussels is under occupation by an oligarchy coordinated by left-liberal and transatlantic elites. This is a regime that is not European but global; it isn’t a democracy but an oligarchy, and it prioritises federalism over the sovereignty of nation-states," Orban asserted.

He accused Brussels bureaucrats of aiding in replacing Poland's conservative government with the current liberal cabinet. Orban's rhetoric about external interference in Hungary's democratic processes is expected to dominate next year’s election campaign.

He has previously alleged that figures such as EPP leader Manfred Weber and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen aim to install a "puppet government" in Hungary. Fidesz propaganda has labelled Weber a "Hungarian hater" after the new Tisza Party joined the EPP and its leader openly endorsed Peter Magyar.

Orban criticised the EU's geopolitical and economic strategies, claiming it is unprepared for Asia's rise and risks becoming the "biggest loser" in the emerging world order. This aligns with his long-standing narrative that the Western world is in decline.

He also proclaimed the collapse of the Western liberal state model, which he said is "falling under the weight of its flaws," positioning Hungary’s illiberal democracy as a viable alternative, a theme he has championed for years.

Orban welcomed the inauguration of a "patriotic, pro-peace, anti-migration" US president, describing it as a pivotal moment for right-wing forces in Europe and a fresh start. He declared Hungary's EU presidency as "the start of a new era," predicting it would be recorded in history as "a time when Donald Trump and European patriots began transforming the Western world."

Balázs Orban, the prime minister's political director, stated that the Hungarian EU presidency’s goals included accelerating the replacement of the "Brussels elite." Another aim, he said, was to prevent "the Democratic leadership, forced out of Washington, from relocating its headquarters to Brussels."

EU Affairs Minister Janos Boka added that the Hungarian presidency had "sown the seeds of change" and presented a "real right-wing alternative" for Europe for the first time.

National Economy Minister Marton Nagy highlighted the importance of boosting competence in the EU, warning that Europe is lagging behind the United States and China. He noted an estimated €700-800bn funding gap for digital and green transitions and urged reforms to the EU's fiscal rules to enable necessary investments.

When asked why Orban chose to skip Donald Trump's inauguration, government officials hinted that the two leaders may meet in the near future.