The EU on February 7 said that it had launched action against Hungary after Budapest passed laws it says are intended to "protect Hungary's sovereignty" and curb foreign influence. Critics say the laws are the latest bid by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government to silence opponents ahead of crucial EU and Hungarian municipal elections in June. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said it had sent a letter of formal notice to Hungary for violations of EU law. The move is known in EU jargon as an infringement procedure. Hungary has two months to reply to the letter.
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