Hungary's new law on "protecting national sovereignty", which the ruling Fidesz party said was necessary to protect against foreign political interference, violates European Union law, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The Commission said it had sent Hungary a formal notice that it would open an infringement procedure over the law, passed in December, which it said violated the union's democratic values and fundamental rights. The Hungarian legislation violates EU laws on democracy and the equal rights of EU citizens, the data protection law and several rules applicable to the internal market, the Commission said. "The setup of a new authority with wide-ranging powers and a strict regim