Orbán under fire for 'outrageous' claims over Swedish crime

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has drawn unusually sharp criticism from Sweden after castigating the country's law and order.

Orbán railed against the fellow EU country in a campaign video posted on X on Monday, saying the Swedish government lectured Hungary about the rule of law while its own public order was collapsing.

The Hungarian prime minister was referring to gang crime in Sweden, which often involves teenagers who are recruited by criminal networks.

Citing an article in the German newspaper Die Welt, Orbán wrote alongside his video: "Criminal networks are exploiting Swedish children as killers, knowing the system won't convict. A country once known for order & safety is now collapsing."

In the social media post, Orbán claimed that 284 underage girls have been arrested for murder in Sweden. The article in Die Welt, however, stated that preliminary investigations were launched last year against around 280 girls between the ages of 15 and 17 for murder, manslaughter or other violent crimes, leaving unclear how the total number relates to the individual offences.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson responded to the post on X, calling Orbán's claims "outrageous lies."

"Not surprising coming from the man who is dismantling the rule of law in his own country," Kristersson wrote, adding that Orbán is desperately trying to secure votes ahead of the Hungarian election next year.

While EU governments typically refrain from commenting on domestic issues in other member states, Orbán is known for launching public attacks against his counterparts.

Sweden has been the target of these in the past, with Orbán repeatedly criticizing the country's decision in 2022 to join NATO and blocking its membership in the alliance.