WSJ: Trump officials back Orbán to become UN secretary-general
According to the Wall Street Journal, Hungary's former prime minister could be a joint candidate of the US, Russia and China. Poland is opposed, and Tusk calls the idea "funny".
Archive image · Photo: The White House / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
Officials in Donald Trump's administration are backing Hungary's former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as the next U.N. secretary-general, The Wall Street Journal reported. Orbán could become a joint candidate of the United States, Russia and China, but no final decision has been made, and he would only run if sure of victory, the paper said. The White House and Beijing have not confirmed the report, and Orbán's spokesperson did not reply to a Euronews request for comment.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov told Interfax that permanent members of the Security Council do not nominate candidates. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski wrote that he did not foresee Poland supporting Orbán's candidacy. Prime Minister Donald Tusk recalled earlier rumours that Orbán would head the European Commission: "This seems to me just as funny as that first rumor."
António Guterres's term ends on Dec. 31. A candidate needs at least nine of the 15 Security Council votes and no veto from a permanent member. Orbán lost Hungary's April 12 election to Péter Magyar's Tisza party. Authorities have since opened investigations into former government members, and two ex-ministers and the former central bank governor are under arrest.