Humiliation for Ursula von der Leyen as EU leader facing court after bombshell secret vote

Ursula von der Leyen unblocked funds for Hungary in December (Image: Getty)

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing a new legal challenge after the European Parliament secretly voted in favour of opening proceedings against the EU executive over funds approved for Hungary last December.

The Strasbourg's legal affairs committee voted on Monday to take the Commission to court after it unblocked €10.2 billion frozen EU funds for Viktor Orban in December.

The move came ahead of the December EU summit which aimed at approving a news aid package for Ukraine which was being vetoed by the Hungarian Prime Minister.

MEPs accused the Commission leader of caving to Orban's blackmailing tactics by releasing the funds that had been put on hold over rule of law concerns.

Greens MEP Daniel Freund told Politico on Monday: “We believe we have a solid case, as the Commission has contradicted itself on whether Hungary is respecting the rule of law.

“The Court of Justice of the EU has always stood up for the independence of the courts.”

Freund condemned the Commission's decision to unfreeze the funds as “a sign to the Commission president that the rule of law can’t be traded for deals with Orban".

European Parliament group leaders are expected to meet with President Roberta Matsola on Thursday to give the go ahead to the committee's decision to take von der Leyen's team to court.

EPP leader Manfred Weber, Ursula von der Leyen's political party in the Parliament, is also expected to vote in favour of the decision.