Hungary joined the EU with 9 other eastern European nations after a 2003 referendum which saw 83.8% of voters in favor of joining the EU. Since then, Hungary has recieved criticism from EU leaders for a June 2021 bill which banned LGBT content in Hungarian schools. CNN journalist Luke McGee noted that Article 7, a mechanism for the EU to expel a member state, would be "very unlikely" to occur, as it requires the unanimous vote of all other member nations.

Finance Minister Mihály Varga said in April 2021 that he would vote to remain in the EU if a hypothetical referendum were held, but added

there is a chance for a new perspective on the issue. Especially if the attacks coming from Brussels become permanent because of our choices of values.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban downplayed the suggestion of leaving the EU, saying in November 2021,

We don't want to leave the EU at all, they can't get rid of us so easily [...] We want to keep our sovereignty and we don't want to find ourselves in a united states of Europe.