Orban urges US conservatives to 'take back institutions'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke at a conservative convention in the US on Thursday, urging the audience to "take back the institutions" from the "globalist ruling class."

Orban spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas, which is an annual gathering of conservative activists from around the United States.

Also expected to speak at the conference is former US President Donald Trump, who has publicly praised Hungary's prime minister. Orban met with Trump earlier this week in Florida.

"Few people know as much about what is going on in the world today," Trump said of his meeting with Orban.

What did Orban say?

The right-wing Hungarian leader, who has been criticized for undermining democratic institutions in his own country, received a standing ovation from CPAC attendees.

"We have seen what kind of future the globalist ruling class has to offer, but we have a different future in mind," Orban said, adding: "The globalists can all go to hell."

The prime minister also urged US conservatives to stick to hardline stances on LGBTQ rights and immigration — and called for the global right to work together.

"We must take back the institutions in Washington and in Brussels. We must find friends and allies in one another. We must coordinate the movement of our troops because we face the same challenge."

During his speech, Orban urged conservatives to maintain Western and Christian values.

"If you separate the Western civilization from its Judeo-Christian heritage, the worst things in history happen," he told the audience.

"The horrors of Nazism and communism happened because some Western states in continental Europe abandoned their Christian values," Orban argued.

Warnings against 'race-mixing'

Late in July, Orban sparked outrage when he warned against Europe becoming a "mixed-race" society.

"We do not want to become peoples of mixed race," Orban said while speaking in Romania's Transylvania region, where there is a large Hungarian population.

Orban ally Zsuzsa Hegedus initially resigned from her position as special representative on social inclusion and modernization following the remarks, calling the speech a "pure Nazi text" that showed "racial hatred."

Hegedus later rescinded her resignation after Orban insisted that he was taking on a "cultural, civilizational stance" and not a racist one.

While speaking in Texas, Orban described those who call his government racist as "idiots."

Hungary's ruling far-right populist Fidesz party has been accused of undermining democracy and the rule of law. Last month, a rule of law report recommended cutting all EU funding to Hungary due to "systemic" violations.

sdi/rs (AP, AFP)