The key facts

  • Jean-Noël Barro said the post of UN Secretary-General is not a 'consolation prize' for a leader who lost an election
  • The statement was published on the French Foreign Ministry website on October 29
  • Earlier, WSJ reported that the US administration sees Orbán as a suitable candidate

Paris's sharp statement

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barro rejected the possibility of the former Hungarian prime minister being nominated for the post of UN Secretary-General. The statement was published on the website of the country's foreign ministry. Barro said that this post is not a 'consolation prize for a leader who lost an election and was rejected by his own people.'

What preceded the statement

The comment was prompted by a report in The Wall Street Journal, according to which the US administration considers Orbán a suitable candidate for the post of UN Secretary-General. Sources for the outlet explained this by saying that the former head of the Hungarian cabinet adheres to the 'right ideology' and knows how to exercise leadership in hostile conditions, notes Gazeta.Ru.

France's position and Moscow's reaction

'France cannot accept that the United Nations <...> could be fundamentally undermined and paralyzed by great powers that prefer to rely on the actions of extremist fringe groups in order to impose the law of the strongest,' said the head of French diplomacy. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry also commented on reports about US plans regarding Orbán's political career. Thus, Paris and, according to WSJ, Washington hold opposite positions on this candidacy; no formal nomination decision has been reported by the sources.