WSJ: Russia, China and the US want to make Viktor Orbán the new head of the UN

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is promoting former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations, counting on Russia and China to support his candidacy. Source: The Wall Street Journal

U.S. diplomats had previously raised the issue in consultations with Beijing and Moscow, which were looking for a candidate of this kind, and received a positive response. Washington then directly offered Orbán the chance to enter the race to lead the UN. The Hungarian politician welcomed the initiative, but has reservations because of his reputation as a nationalist and intends to announce his candidacy officially only when he is fully confident of victory, the publication reports.

According to U.S. State Department officials, between eight and ten of the 15 members of the UN Security Council are ready to support Orbán’s candidacy without difficulty. Officials note that when Washington, Moscow, and Beijing reach a consensus, decisions in the Security Council are usually adopted successfully.

The key outstanding question is the position of the United Kingdom and France, both of which have veto power. However, diplomats expect that Paris and London will not block a candidate backed by a majority of the Security Council and the other permanent members. At the White House, Orbán is described as the preferred candidate for the conservative wing, thanks to his tough stance against illegal immigration, liberal nongovernmental organizations, and judicial and media circles in Hungary.

An official announcement of Orbán’s candidacy is not expected until after the U.S. midterm elections. Analysts and international commentators have voiced concern that, if he is elected, the UN leadership could become a platform for defending authoritarian regimes, as Orbán’s close ties with the Kremlin and Beijing would inevitably come under scrutiny. The current secretary-general, António Guterres, is due to leave office on December 31, while support is growing for another contender, UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh. As of now, Orbán’s candidacy has not been officially announced, and the parties involved are refraining from public comment.

Recall that Hungary’s opposition previously openly accused Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of bringing in Russian agents to interfere in parliamentary elections and unlawfully retain power.