Hungary reacted furiously Thursday after a vote in the European Parliament declaring that the country was no longer a “full democracy” and that the European Union must act.

The answer came after MPs voted 433 in favor and 123 against the resolution.

It described Hungary as a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy” in “serious violation” of EU democratic norms.

It blamed the European Union’s inaction for encouraging the slide from democracy and said EU Covid recovery funds should be withheld from Budapest until it put its house in order.

The country is ruled by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The vote was largely symbolic and does not change the course of EU decision-making, which requires unanimity from all 27 member states – including Hungary – to adopt positions on key issues such as sanctions against Russia.

But Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told reporters in Budapest: “I consider it an insult to a Hungarian person when someone questions Hungary’s capacity for democracy.”

He said he was amazed that some in Brussels and Strasbourg insisted on “downplaying” his country.

With their vote, EU lawmakers endorsed a parliamentary report that said Hungary had fallen behind on democratic rights and fundamental rights since 2018 due to “considered and systematic efforts by the Hungarian government”.

The lack of action by EU institutions, including the Commission, which acts as the “guardian” of the EU treaties that codify democratic standards, has exacerbated the deterioration, the report said.

Green MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, the rapporteur for the report on Hungary, said she had raised a number of concerns.

These include the independence of the judiciary in Hungary, corruption, freedom of expression and academic freedom.

“This is a clear call from the majority of the groups,” she said of the vote.

“Hungary has turned into a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy.”

MEP Fabienne Keller from the Renew Europe group argued: “If Hungary were a candidate for EU membership today, that would no longer be possible.”

EU countries have been cautious towards Hungary because of the need to win its approval on important decisions.

But diplomats are privately frustrated by Orban’s cozy relationship with the Kremlin and his blocking of further sanctions against Moscow.

The commission has also been careful to avoid open criticism, but unease at Hungary’s departure from the rule of law, particularly its failure to curb corruption, is becoming increasingly evident.

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in her speech on the state of the European Union to the European Parliament on Wednesday that the EU must “fight for our democracies”.

Her EU executive will work to protect member states “from the external threats they face and from the vices that corrode them from within,” she said.

Although she did not name Hungary directly in this context, she promised legislative measures to intensify the fight against corruption, including against “illegal enrichment, influence and abuse of power”.

EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders told MEPs in a debate on rule of law violations in Hungary that the Commission shares “a large number of concerns expressed by the European Parliament” regarding Budapest.

In 2018, the European Parliament launched proceedings against Hungary’s endangerment of European democratic values.

The EU has also allocated 5.8 billion euros ($5.8 billion) to Hungary from its Covid recovery fund. But Budapest’s spending plan for the funds was not approved by Brussels over corruption concerns.

In theory, the mechanism could result in Hungary losing its right to vote in the Council of the EU, where member states make decisions affecting the bloc.