Hungarian Prime Minister Calls for EU Officials to Resign

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated on Friday that "senior officials in the European Union should resign and be replaced," adding that they do not deserve another chance after the upcoming European Parliament elections. Orbán made his remarks to supporters during the launch of his nationalist Fidesz party's campaign for the elections scheduled from June 6 to June 9, saying: "There is a major problem in Brussels, which is the failure of the EU leadership." He further commented: "If your performance has been poor during your term, and you have posed a risk to the voters, and if the voters do not expect anything more from you, then you have only one thing to do: take your hats and leave." The nationalist leader is facing one of the toughest elections of his 14-year tenure, as Hungary's economy is in recession, and Orbán is caught up in a scandal that affects his image as a defender of family values, along with a new political entrant threatening to disrupt the current balance.