The report, adopted with a vote of 433 for, 123 against and 28 abstentions, "demonstrates how the values enshrined in Article 2 of the EU Treaties, including democracy and fundamental rights in the country have further deteriorated since 2018", the EP said.

The report blamed the deterioration on the "deliberate and systematic efforts of the Hungarian government", while the EP said inaction by the European Union "exacerbated the backslide".

 In the report, MEPs termed Hungary a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy" and urged the European Commission to refrain from approving Hungary's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) plan until the country has "fully complied" with all recommendations and implemented judgements by the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human Rights.

The MEPs also pressed the EC to exclude from funding Hungary's cohesion programs that contribute "to the misuse of EU funds or to breaches of the rule of law", while applying regulations "more stringently" against "any misuse of EU funds for political motives".

In a reaction to the vote, governing Fidesz said the EP's decision to "occupy itself with attacks on Hungary even during the present crisis" was "stunning".