Hungary's Fidesz party to leave European parliament centre-right group

Rightwing party's move comes after European People's party changed its internal rules on excluding members

Hungary's ruling rightwing Fidesz party has said it will leave the main centre-right political grouping in the European parliament after the European People's party (EPP) voted to change its internal laws on excluding members.

The EPP's 180 members, many of whom have campaigned for the expulsion of Fidesz, which they accuse of weakening Hungary's democracy and curbing media and other freedoms, voted by 148 to 28 in favour of the new rules, with four abstentions.