Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivered a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday as part of Hungary's rotating presidency of the European Council.

The right-wing nationalist was greeted in Strasbourg, France, by protest over his increasingly authoritarian rule in his home country and his friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The European Union needs to change, and I would like to convince you about that today," Orban said, calling the current era the "most serious period" in the 27-member bloc's history.

He said that the escalating conflict in the Middle East would prompt a "migration crisis" that might cause the Schengen open border system to "fall apart." 

"Our union needs to change, and the presidency wants to be the catalyst for this change," he added, suggesting the bloc regularly hold migration summits.

Despite some jibes from left-wing lawmakers before he spoke, EU parliamentarians listened quietly to the speech. It was only toward the end, as a round of the antifascist anthem "Bella Ciao" broke out, that things began to get rowdy.

"This is not Eurovision," said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola as she called the meeting to order.

'You're not welcome here'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has told top EU officials toboycott meetings organized by the Hungarian presidency, slammed Orban after his remarks.

She questioned Orban's dedication to curbing irregular migration by pointing out he had granted amnesty to more than 1,000 human traffickers.

"This is not fighting illegal migration in Europe," von der Leyen said. "This is just throwing problems over your neighbor's fence."

Green bloc co-leader Terry Reintke told the Hungarian prime minister: "You are not welcome here, this is the house of European democracy."

Manfred Weber, leader of the conservative European People's Party, chimed in to express his shock that Orban devoted not a "single sentence" to the plight of Ukrainians combating a Russian invasion.  Orban's Fidesz political party was part of the European People's Party faction until he pulled the party out of the grouping in March. The move came after years of disagreements and as the EPP considered kicking Fidesz out of the group.

Referencing Orban's trip to Moscow in July, he charged: "Your trip was never a peace mission. It was a big propaganda show for the autocrats."

Facing criticism from fellow EU members, Orban has repeatedly pointed to recent right-wing gains such as those in France, the Netherlands, and eastern Germany, as evidence that his way of thinking is becoming more popular.

es/sms (AFP, dpa)