The EU’s cautious steps forward

It seems that Viktor Orban has become a "vaccine" which strengthens the European Union, forcing it to act decisively whenever it appears adrift. A few weeks ago, in mid-December, the leaders of the other member-states urged the Hungarian prime minister to "go get some coffee" while they approved the start of Ukraine's and Moldova's EU accession process. In this way, Orban did not block the historic decision while still being able to boast that he opposes it. (Similarly, our more God-fearing New Democracy MPs plan to avoid voting for equal marriage rights when the legislation gets to Parliament.) And now, last Thursday, the Hungarian leader, idol of fans of "illiberal democracy" from the United States to Turkey and Russia, was forced to succumb to the pressures of his counterparts at the EU summit meeting and to agree to a 50-billion-euro aid package for Ukraine. This was not the...