Republican members of the United States Congress have sent a letter to Ursula von der Leyen criticizing what they describe as interference by the European Commission in Hungary’s elections, according to Hungarian MEP Csaba Dömötör.
In a statement posted on social media, Dömötör said the letter strongly criticized the Commission’s actions, warning that such interventions could undermine confidence in both EU institutions and electoral processes.
According to him, the Republican lawmakers argued that the Commission’s activities weaken trust in institutional independence and public confidence in elections. He said the letter cited several alleged tools of interference, including financial support for politically active civil groups and content moderation measures linked to EU digital regulations.
The lawmakers also reportedly raised concerns about the application of the EU’s Digital Services framework, which they claim allows for the restriction, removal or labelling of certain social media content. These measures, they argued, could be seen as evidence of political intervention.
Dömötör said the letter calls on von der Leyen to clarify whether the Commission will publish a list of activist organizations receiving EU funding.
He added that the issue has gained relevance following the Commission’s recent announcement of a so-called rapid response system, under which fact-checking organizations linked to media outlets can flag online content and potentially limit its visibility.
The Hungarian MEP also said the Commission had not responded to previous requests for transparency regarding which content had been restricted or which organizations were involved in such activities.
Citing figures from the letter, Dömötör said that between 2019 and 2023 the Commission concluded approximately 37,000 contracts with non-governmental organizations worth a combined 17 billion euros. He claimed that some of these organizations had been involved in political campaigns in recent months.
He further alleged that pressure on Hungary has included the withholding of EU funds and repeated debates in the European Parliament concerning the country.
The European Commission has not commented on the claims outlined by Dömötör.
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