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Comment by hyper_dynamics | Hacker News Reader

They should be expelled, but that's not possible. So the EU is indeed kinda helpless against member states gone rouge

I don't recommended this scenario but: the other states could join a new union and leave Hungary and possibly other states outside (the usual split into a good company and a bad one.) Lots of legal disputes but in international law the strongest party always makes the law and shrugs problems away.

BTW, is it rouge (as in French for red) or rogue?

No, they can't make a new union, that's just stupid. It took decades to build the EU as it is now. Building something new isn't feasible.

Just look at the Brexit shitshow and that was only a country leaving.

And besides that, the EU has never been about controlling national governments. The common values thing it's something new they brought to the table because they want to expand their powers.

In case of Poland the only value being forced by the EU is not breaking Poland’s own constitution. Which is required for any kind of reliable business, which, in turn, is pretty central to fundamental purpose of the EU.

It's Rogue. Common misspelling :)

Or they could just develop decent sanctions and enforce them. Hungary is a massive net recipient of EU funds, which seems a great starting lever, plus throw just the smallest amount of friction into their Schengen status, and you've got something pretty potent there.

Orban will vote easily against Poland just when he is guaranteed that he gets money from after-COVID fund. Maybe that is why EU are withholding Hungary spend plan for this fund.

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