US lawmakers allege European Commission interference, censorship ahead of Hungary election
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With Hungary's closely watched parliamentary elections just a day away, U.S. lawmakers have accused the European Commission of attempting to influence the vote through its regulation of online platforms.
In a letter dated April 10, U.S. Representatives Jim Jordan and Chris Smith alleged that the Commission has pressured major online platforms to alter globally applied content moderation policies in ways they say amount to political censorship.
"Public reporting indicates that the European Commission may be engaged in similar activities ahead of this month's general election in Hungary—once again, with potential negative effects for U.S. speech," the lawmakers wrote.
They further accused the Commission of having "regularly" pressured platforms "to change their globally-applicable content moderation rules and censor content in a politically biased fashion ahead of major U.S. and European elections."
"We urge you to end the weaponization of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and refrain from any actions that could result in censorship of Americans," the letter said.
"The Commission has previously engaged in global political censorship ahead of major elections in the U.S. and Europe. We urge you not to do so in Hungary," they added. "Free speech and democracy are at the core of our historic alliance, and it would be a mistake to continue your rapid turn away from these fundamental principles."
The allegations of election interference come as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces a strong challenge from the opposition Tisza party led by Peter Magyar in the April 12 vote. Opinion polls suggest Orban's Fidesz party is trailing.
The issue of foreign influence has become a point of contention in the final days of the campaign. U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Budapest earlier in the week to rally support for Orban, an ideological ally, and accused "bureaucrats in Brussels" of working against the Hungarian people during an April 7 appearance.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also publicly endorsed Orban, who has led Hungary for 16 years, presiding over what many observers describe as democratic backsliding in the Central European country.
The European Commission has rejected allegations of interference, including those made by Vance, saying its efforts are aimed at protecting the integrity of elections, particularly from manipulation on social media platforms.
