Former judge Baka elected new Hungarian president in another break from Orbán era – as it happened | Europe

Closing abstract

Jakub Krupa

And, on that notice, we shall be closing the weblog for as we speak.

• Former ECtHR and Hungarian supreme courtroom choose András Baka has been elected the brand new Hungarian president in one other break with Viktor Orbán period (13:14, 15:15, 15:26).

• Baka will change an Orbán loyalist, Tamás Sulyok, who stepped down final month after signing a constitutional modification handed by the ruling Tisza get together of the prime minister, Péter Magyar.

• Baka was eliminated by Orbán as the pinnacle of the Hungarian Supreme Court docket in 2011, and later gained a case on unfair dismissal on the European Court docket of Human Rights.

• In his acceptance speech, Baka warned that “we can’t construct the brand new Hungary on revenge” (15:43), as he outlined his imaginative and prescient for performing the largely ceremonial function.

In different information,

• Spanish international minister José Manuel Albares urged migrants to “not danger their lives” and abandon any plans to pressure their approach by means of the Spanish-Moroccan border, as he pledged that “each final particular person” crossing the border shall be returned to their native land (12:59).

• Latvia stated a tunnel had been found below the border with ⁠Belarus and introduced plans to fight networks that it says are serving to a rising variety of migrants cross the frontier illegally, following related concern in neighbouring Lithuania (12:05).

• New Eurostat information confirmed 4.41 million non-EU residents who fled Ukraine had short-term safety standing within the EU on the finish of June 2026 (14:34).

The weblog shall be begin a bit later than traditional tomorrow as we are going to give attention to the photo voltaic eclipse seen in varied components of Europe. Be certain that to tune in and comply with our protection.

If in case you have any ideas, feedback or options, electronic mail me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.

I’m additionally on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.

Jakub Krupa

Be in little doubt: we are going to clearly carry you the stay protection of tomorrow’s photo voltaic eclipse right here, on Europe Stay.

Nicola Davis and Oliver Holmes

Tomorrow’s complete eclipse would be the first in mainland Europe in 20 years.

A large band of north and central Spain, plus a sliver of Portugal and components of Greenland and Iceland will expertise a uncommon complete eclipse. The sunshine of the setting solar shall be nearly blocked out throughout a lot of western Europe, together with the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy.

The final occasion of this type seen from the UK occurred in 1999, when components of Devon and Cornwall have been within the path of totality. The following complete photo voltaic eclipse seen within the UK will not be attributable to happen till 2090.

Forward of tomorrow’s photo voltaic eclipse – which shall be in all probability finest seen in Iceland and Spain, however also needs to give us some gorgeous visuals within the UK – lodge costs have surged in key European cities as lots of of hundreds of vacationers flock to see the primary complete eclipse seen from the continent this century.

Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík, has seen one of many greatest jumps in lodge room costs, being one of many few accessible areas to see the total eclipse earlier than night on Wednesday, Kalyeena Makortoff studies.

Spain can be steeling itself for an inflow of vacationers, as top-of-the-line locations on the European continent to view the whole photo voltaic eclipse. The finance ministry stated on Monday that it anticipated 460,000 abroad vacationers to go to particularly to see the eclipse.

Nonetheless, authorities in Spain are fearful about an elevated danger of fires, with police anticipating 1.5m extra automotive journeys than traditional on Wednesday. They’ve warned that terribly dry temperatures imply the smallest spark might result in devastating forest fires, whereas site visitors might find yourself blocking entry for emergency autos if fires escape in rural areas.

EU needs to ‘positively advance’ nearer ties with UK, Irish minister says

Lisa O’Carroll

In different information…

The EU needs to “positively advance” nearer relations with the UK that may ship “for enterprise, younger individuals” and shared safety pursuits, Eire’s Europe minister has stated.

Thomas Byrne was talking after an introductory name on behalf of the EU presidency with the UK’s new European relations minister Hamish Falconer on Tuesday (11:08).

He additionally hinted at new offers on defence and safety revealing they dialogue the significance of the UK participation within the Ukraine assist loans.

“Exploring additional areas of cooperation within the space of safety and defence is crucial to defending the European continent,” stated Byrne.

As holder of the rotating EU presidency the Irish authorities is at the moment driving the EU agenda with nearer ties with the UK on the precedence checklist for this yr.

“We mentioned our joint dedication to positively advancing the EU-UK relationship. That is in our shared pursuits in the case of delivering for enterprise, younger individuals and our safety.

Eire is bold in supporting the strongest potential EU-UK relationship, in order that the advantages will be felt by residents throughout these islands, and throughout the EU. A profitable and balanced second EU-UK Summit is essential to supporting this partnership.”

Guess it’s value noting that Baka was Péter Magyar’s second decide for the submit, as his authentic candidate, chess ⁠legend Judit Polgár, declined the supply saying she “didn’t really feel sufficient energy inside me to tackle the historic duty of uniting a divided nation.”

And another extra uncommon candidates have been additionally floated on social media…

In a deeply mental acceptance speech, Baka talks concerning the legacy of Orbán period, speaking how the earlier administration pitted Budapest towards the remainder of the nation, younger versus previous, and majorities versus minority, undermining individuals’s belief to one another.

“They wished to make us consider that anybody who thinks otherwise will not be merely mistaken, however an enemy,” he says.

“Nonetheless, this nation can’t construct a standard future whereas its residents see one another as enemies. Subsequently, the duty earlier than us requires each justice and self-restraint,” he says.

He stresses that “political change can’t imply that to any extent further, totally different individuals should concern others, be silent or really feel like outsiders in their very own nation.”

“One factor is for certain: we can’t construct the brand new Hungary on revenge.”

He says the nation wants greater than only a beneficial election consequence to revive the rule of legislation, as it must rebuild “a democratic and functioning constitutional tradition” through which “the limitation of [executive] energy will not be an impediment,” and which permits wholesome criticism and compromise with out anybody branding it an act of betrayal or an indication of weak point.

He says that as a president he shall be impartial by way of get together politics, however not by way of values, as he’ll defend “essentially various” views of the general public.

He additionally says that any new structure must be constructed with a long-term considering in thoughts, and to not serve “the momentary majority.” If the federal government have been to do this, they might be “making the identical mistake the results of which we are actually making an attempt to resolve,” he says.

Baka additionally talks about the significance of representing Hungary overseas, and restoring its relations with Europe and different allies. He says it’s the duty of the federal government to guide on that time, however stresses Hungary’s cultural and historic ties with Europe.

“Hungary’s place in Europe will not be a momentary determination of the present authorities, however a consequence of our historical past, tradition and pursuits.”

Apparently, he additionally particularly references his duties in the direction of the ethnic Hungarians who stay past the nation’s borders, an everyday level of competition with different nations, together with Ukraine and Slovakia.

He ends by making some extent that the state’s first job is to serve its individuals – and will get heat reception from the gathered MPs (however, bear in mind, the opposition Fidesz get together will not be there).

Former ECtHR and Hungarian Supreme Court docket choose András Baka has been elected the brand new Hungarian president.

146 votes have been solid: 140 in favour, and 6 towards.

72-year-old Baka is one other instance of the brand new authorities’s clear break with the Orbán period: the lawyer was faraway from the submit of the president of the Supreme Court docket in 2011 by the then prime mnister, three years earlier than his time period was set to run out. He later gained a case on the European Court docket of Human Rights towards Hungary.

In his acceptance speech, Baka stated he believed Hungary “reached a interval in its historical past when a critical reflection is required concerning the functioning of the state,” after the final 20 years of “a critical disaster” below the earlier authorities and with deep societal divisions.

He’ll change Viktor Orbán loyalist Tamás Sulyok who stood down – or was successfully eliminated – from the submit final month.

As flagged earlier (13:14), the Hungarian parliament is now voting to elect a brand new president, with the government-backed former choose András Baka the one candidate out there.

We must always get the consequence quickly, and given the principle opposition get together, Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz, is boycotting the vote there aren’t any prizes for guessing what’s going to occur.

New Eurostat information confirmed 4.41 million non-EU residents who fled Ukraine had short-term safety standing within the EU on the finish of June 2026.

This quantity has gone up by 0.6%, or 24,000, over the past yr.

Germany (1.3m), Poland (1m) and Czechia (400,000) host the three largest teams of individuals utilizing the standing to remain within the bloc.

Eurostat information confirmed that grownup girls made up 43% of the whole, with minors at round 30%, and grownup males at 27%.

In France, power agency EDF has reported {that a} nuclear plant within the north of the nation shut down three reactors after a swarm of jellyfish clogged pumps used to chill the items.

Three reactors have been taken offline on Monday and output at a fourth was minimize by half, EDF stated in an announcement, leaving only one working at full capability.

“This case has no influence on the security of the services, the security of personnel, or the surroundings,” AFP studies EDF stated.

The Gravelines nuclear energy plant, close to the northern metropolis of Dunkirk, is the most important in Western Europe, with six 900-megawatt reactors. The nuclear energy plant was additionally quickly taken offline a yr in the past after jellyfish clogged its seawater pumping stations.

Hanging photographs throughout the information wires as we speak present the various ways in which warmth is affecting the continent this summer time, with rivers at file lows and vacationers resorting to ingenious strategies to maintain themselves cool whereas nonetheless seeing the sights.

Italy’s coalition League get together will suggest a three-year ⁠levy on the nation’s ten largest banks within the 2027 price range to assist ⁠assist public ⁠funds, ​deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Reuters studies Salvini stated “We because the ⁠League will ask, and I’m satisfied your entire coalition will assist us, ⁠for a three-year contribution from the highest ten Italian ​banks.”

Salvini stated that if annual earnings within the banking sector got here in at round €30bn, the federal government ought to search “5% a yr for 3 years”.

As I flagged earlier, Hungarian lawmakers on Tuesday are anticipated to elect former supreme courtroom chief András Baka, who was fired below ex-premier Viktor Orbán, because the nation’s subsequent head of state.

Hungary’s final president and Orbán loyalist, Tamás Sulyok, stepped down final month after signing a constitutional modification handed by the ruling Tisza get together of the prime minister, Péter Magyar.

The appointment of Baka, a senior choose who additionally served on the European Court docket of Human Rights, is meant as one other break with the Orbán period.

“After a few years, Hungary will as soon as once more have a real head of state,” Magyar stated in a submit of X this afternoon.

Tisza has the two-thirds parliamentary majority required to elect Baka on the primary spherical with none opposition assist, AFP famous.

The vote is predicted in below an hour from now.

The fee additionally finds itself in a difficult place amid escalating border row between Spain and Italy, with each nations reinstating border controls towards one another within the aftermath of the border disaster in Ceuta.

A fee spokesperson stated the 2 nations confirmed their preparations have been “short-term,” with no “lasting” impact anticipated on the Schengen space.

However there is no such thing as a trace in the meanwhile that they could carry the controls very quickly, it appears.

And that’s all from the fee’s briefing.