This paper aims to unpack more about how national interests, regarding the distribution of migrants, are being represented at the EU level. It will question the extent to which Member States have been able to influence this ongoing policy development, and how this representation has occurred. The case which this paper will address specifically is Hungary, as based on the number of asylum applicants[1] and the rise of right wing politics, this Member State has been vocal in its disagreement with the direction of the EU’s asylum policy. In the paper some preliminary, original research will be presented, which will illustrate the importance of internal national political structures and timing upon a country’s ability to assert its influence.
[1] During the first quarter of 2015 Hungary received 32 800 new asylum applications second behind Germany (73 100) followed at a distance by Italy (15 200), France (14 800), Sweden (11 400) and the United Kingdom (7 300) (Eurostat, 2015).
