R. Daniel Kelemen, a Rutgers University–New Brunswick professor of political science who is an expert in European Union politics, is available to comment on Hungary’s threats to block the E.U. pandemic recovery plan.

“The whole union is put at risk when the E.U. and Merkel’s European People’s Party, specifically, enables and emboldens an autocrat,” Kelemen said. “Merkel's party has defended Orban for a decade, and it is karma in action when he threatens to block the pandemic recovery deal she saw as her E.U. legacy if the E.U. ties the funds to respect for rule of law. Orban’s autocratic mafia state lives on E.U. funds and it is time to stand up to him and call his bluff.”

Daniel Kelemen is the Jean Monnet Chair in European Union Politics at Rutgers. His research interests include the politics of the European Union, law and politics, comparative political economy, and comparative public policy. 

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