European Commission launches rule-of-law disciplinary procedure against Hungary

Viktor Orban's government faces sanction over rollback of democratic values and allegations of fraud

The European Commission has launched the bloc's new rule-of-law disciplinary procedure for the first time against Hungary, two days after nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, won a fourth landslide victory in parliamentary elections.

Ursula von der Leyen, the commission president, told the European parliament on Tuesday that Budapest had been informed of the decision and we will now send the letter of formal notification to start the conditionality mechanism".