BUDAPEST, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Viktor Orban praised the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an ally who could help "lift the boot" of Brussels from Hungary's chest, welcoming their leader less than two weeks before a German election.
In turn, the leader of the Alternative for Germany praised Hungary for its "sensible" energy policies, given its import of Russian gas. She also commended Orban's anti-immigration stance and opposition to arming Ukraine.
The visit is significant for the 11-year-old AfD, which is polling second after the conservatives, with a national vote scheduled for February 23. The party has previously been avoided by European leaders, even by fellow far-right leaders like France's Marine Le Pen.
Orban acknowledged his initial caution regarding the AfD but expressed a shift in perspective, stating, "it's quite clear that the AfD is the future."
The AfD enjoys approximately 20% support in polls but is unlikely to lead after the next election, as all parties have pledged not to collaborate with a party monitored by Germany's own security services.
The meeting with Weidel, occurring shortly after another ideological ally Donald Trump assumed the U.S. presidency, highlights the AfD's increasing international connections.
Orban and Weidel aligned on various crucial issues, opposing arming Ukraine against Russian invasion and advocating for "peace." Orban hinted that the AfD could aid Hungary in breaking free from German and Brussels' pressures regarding migrant intake.
Orban explained, "There were two boots on our chest until now: the Brussels progressives, and the American liberal administration. One has been lifted."
However, fundamental differences emerged, with Weidel endorsing economic "freedom" through lower taxes and a limited state, contradicting Orban's more interventionist economic approach. Moreover, Weidel's perspective on family life being a personal matter clashes with Orban's belief in traditional marriage between a man and a woman.