Eleven EU Countries Call for an End to Veto Power in Foreign Policy

Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Finland, France and Sweden are calling for a shift from unanimity to qualified majority voting. A group of 11 European Union countries is calling for an end to cases of “obstructionist vetoes” that, in their view, have paralyzed EU foreign policy in recent years, Euronews reports. “The culture of consensus in the Union is an important source of its legitimacy. We will therefore continue to strive for consensus wherever possible,” the letter addressed to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas states. The document was obtained by Euronews. “But we must also ensure that this culture of consensus facilitates joint action rather than preventing it. Otherwise, we will have legitimacy, but no strength.” Under EU rules, foreign policy matters are strictly governed by the principle of unanimity. This means that a single member state can block an issue under consideration at any time, effectively tying the hands of the other 26 countries. The system has been used repeatedly, particularly during the 16 years that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been in power. He has regularly sparked controversy and outrage by exercising his veto power or threatening to do so. Earlier this year, he triggered an unprecedented crisis when, amid a dispute with Kyiv over the Druzhba oil pipeline, he blocked a €90 billion loan for Ukraine that had been personally agreed upon by EU leaders.