Hungary is pondering its possible withdrawal from the World Health Organization, similar actions taken by Argentina and the United States, a statement from Viktor Orban’s office said Thursday.
Hungary, which is managed by the Minister in charge of the Prime Minister’s Office, Gergely Gulyas, said the country will thoughtfully consider whether to follow when the United States, under the leadership of former President Donald Trump, and Argentina, under Javier Milei, decided to resign from the health agency. “If the strongest democracy in the world leaves with its free will, we should consider whether that is in our interest, or not,” said Gulyas, who stated that Hungary was still undecided over the decision.
Trump and his supporters have claimed that the WHO has violated national sovereignty, has been overly subservient to China, and has handled the COVID-19 pandemic badly. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus earlier this week came out in defense of the agency’s impartiality: “As a UN agency, WHO exists to serve all countries and all people.”
Argentina said it was pulling out Wednesday, citing “peaceful differences” in health policies, especially regarding the pandemic. Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni reiterated that Argentina was committed to not allowing international interference with national sovereignty.
Milei is described as an “anarcho-capitalist” who vehemently supports Trump, who had ordered the withdrawal of the United States from WHO within weeks of taking over in January.
Hungary’s potential exit signals growing discontent among right-wing governments toward global health governance, raising concerns about the future of international cooperation in public health.
