Orbán Warns EU Faces Collapse Without Major Reforms by 2035

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has warned that the European Union could face disintegration within the next decade without significant reforms. Speaking on September 7, 2025, Orbán characterized the EU as being in a state of "disintegration and fragmentation," suggesting it may be remembered as a "noble attempt with a depressing result" if current trends continue.

Orbán"s remarks come as he criticized the EU"s leadership for allowing Europe to fall behind the United States in both economic performance and political influence. He noted that in 2008, the U.S. accounted for 23% of the global economy compared to the EU"s 25%. Today, the U.S. share has risen to 27%, while the EU has dropped to 17.8%.

The Prime Minister indicated that the European project has struggled due to attempts to establish not only a common market but also a political and monetary union centered around the euro. "Everyone who deals with this question says it is only a matter of time before it cracks, breaks, splits apart," he asserted.

Orbán proposed a restructured EU model with "concentric circles" to enhance cooperation. The outer ring would focus on defense and energy security, potentially including countries like Turkey and Ukraine. A second circle would involve a common market, while a third would consist of eurozone members with shared fiscal policies. The innermost circle would be for states pursuing deeper political union, enforcing binding rules on issues like migration and the rule of law. He also criticized the EU"s financial strategies, describing the push for "common indebtedness" as a desperate measure to maintain unity among member states.

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