Hungarian politics

Hungry for power

The government takes over Hungary’s independent institutions, one by one

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Everyone must be aware that all the journals, organisations etc. do not say the truth about this matter. The truth is that there are censorship and self-censorship all "democratic" western type of countries, just a few examples of prohibited or partially prohibited contents:
- Nazi propaganda
- any other type of racist propaganda
- Child pornography and child abuse
- promotion of any type of violance
- promotion of terrorism
- promotion of organized crime and any other type of crime
- Wikileaks

In short: all critics of the Hungarian law are basically liars.



Okay, it is not all negative news, just criminal. The only other land having such a law is Venezuela. Now, you do realize that this is a clear case of "what we do not talk about does not exist" right ?
It is outrageously idiotic. Trust the Jobbik to behave like a stupid communist party - small wonder that they are such a good friends with Russia.

In a civilized country there is always the option of NOT LOOKING at media that you dislike. Today in Hungary the Big Brother will tell you what is good for you to look at and what is not. You are OK with that, so what does this make you? Wouldn't it have been simpler to just ask your daddy whether you are allowed to watch TV or not? And leave us, who can decide for themselves alone?

Thanks for the quote - you really made my point.

rubber duck

"This is the most worrying part - obviously there is a sizable part of the Hungarian population that is willing to go the way of Milosevich, Ceausescu or Chavez"

You forgot to add Hitler, LOL! To cut a long story short: in the future we might well realize that in the Balkan wars, and especially during the Kosovo crisis, the Serbs were actually the good guys. OK maybe not the "good" guys but the better ones, at least if you compare them to the little maffia-states like Albania that the EU will soon accept as members in her all-knowing, incorruptible wisdom.

And don't forget that Chavez is a hero in the eyes of the European Left, just like Ceausescu was the darling of your impeccable Western governments. Pity that the whole EU reeks of double standards and hypocrisy. So does Western public opinion - for you, the EU is usually the big bad useless corrupt dictatorship that should be abolished but whenever it suits you, you demand her to act as the defender of freedom. Certainly not against China or Russia or Iran, oh no, because they are powerful so you better don't mess with them, but when it comes down to a little country like Hungary you guys have such a big mouth all of a sudden. Pathetic...

And now please tell me what exactly is wrong with the media law? Which provisions? Which paragraphs? Because it's incredibly pathetic to whine just because the press tells you you have reason to whine. If you're as smart as you want to appear to, read the law, think with your own head, make your own opinion. And then we can talk.

simple person

I do very much hope, that on the occasion of the media law (but in fact for all other anti-democratic measures forced by Orban) the EU now will take it's declared values for serious and withdraw the Hungarian presidency, and fidesz party will withdraw Orbán from the post of PM.
after such an all-European scandal Orbán is visibly unable to manage, he has nothing to do as a PM. as he couldn't manage the necessary structural reforms, instead of which he implemented the craziest tax-regulations ever and violated private property when putting his hands of the pensions funds. as a PM he had no intellectual input, as he knows nothing about economics, diplomacy, negotiating and cooperating with others. he can't even represent his own ideas: that's why no social dialogue took place during the past 8 months. and he puts the shame on all Hungarians... he should go

Dodo Bird

December 23.

Orban's Christmas gift for Hungarians. Orban's party just voted for new laws to place such preconditions against strikes to make them virtually impossible. This is in a country where strikes were very
rare in the last 60 years. But Orban preempts the future.


Oh Dear! Hungary is unlucky again :) As if it`s been so lucky during this last 8 years of lies, corruption and total unprofessional-ism, where stealing taxpayers money has not only been a habit but almost legal and almost all decisions were made based on comradeship and personal interest. Bad bad times!

I don`t really see where the article is trying to go with all this (nor do I see who the author is), although the choice of the picture doesn`t leave too much doubt about how sympathetic it`s trying to make Orban Viktor and his party look - which is in a way funny.
Fidesz made some hard - and easy to debate decisions - in the past few months but this article doesn`t even try to cover the background of any of these, just lists them from a negative standing point. This in my opinion is a mistake and can be misleading because to be able to form an opinion about what exactly is happening now in Hungary it`s absolutely necessary to have at least the faintest idea about it`s local - and thanks to the country`s history - fairly unique social and political environment, and the background of these - hard to defend - decisions.

For me the way the totally unbalanced Hungarian media supported - and played a key role in the survival of - the otherwise pretty much catastrophic and result-less (if you don`t count negative results) socialist/liberal government is more alarming and anti democratic than a new media council would be.

An area where Fidesz is seriously challenged is communication. They weren`t able to properly defend themselves against the aggressive attacks coming from the socialist/liberal side (even though ironically their attackers are the ones mostly responsible for the difficult situation they inherited) and they weren`t very successful clearly communicating their intentions and reasons for why they have taken the steps they have so far.


ursuspolar: What you present, is the philosophy of the Gyurcsany era -- did not work. Next, please!

What Orban is doing is very similar to what has been done by successful economies of the region. What are we talking about?

To react to your sensitive and empathetic views concerning that people not in your camp are primitive: I am a physicist who has lived in 4-5 different countries. I believe that this contributes to the fact that I can see these things more pragmatically. I find similar opinions among other physicists in Hungary. So, please do not come with this common place with the "sophisticated intellectuals" do not like Orban.

The best thing is that he is even a manager type, not a dictator-type. This aspect makes the whole "pro democracy" movement funny.



While, with a low tax economy we can win, as low tax economies exist in this area (e.g. Slovakia).
The concept is that considering the highly skilled workforce, good education, etc., it will work. (And then the critics will not remember any more what they said, similarly, as they do not remember the astonishing amount of nonsense they were saying during the 1998-2002 government. Now. silently, when nobody hears, they admit that this period was one of economic prosperity for Hungary and also human rights were respected.

In summary: key ideas of FIDESZ:

(1) now economic reforms by decreasing the wages
(2) low taxes
(3) growth-based solution to the debt crisis

The parameters for that

(1) 3% deficit (one of the lowest in the EU.)
(2) 80% indeptedness, that will drop due to the pension funds.
(3) Relatively low per capita GDP that _can_ grow fast, and the country can grow out teh dept.

Zoli B

Another thing, many of you wrote that the EU should intervene and remove Orbán from his office...The Fidesz was elected by the people with a 2/3 majority..THIS IS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE,U KNOW SOMETHING CALLED DEMOCRACY.If you expect Brussels to do such thing how do you even call yourselves the defneders of democracy...You are still clearly the children of Moscow, no one else would have a thought like this!

Zoli B

After reading most of the comments I am happy that all commies meet here and can express their hatred towards Orbán. The problem is that the every source of information towards the West is coming from you. Anyway just one additional fact. It was the MSZP (socilaists) who maintained dictatorship for 40 years, just under the name MSZMP, and now you're the one who are affraid of loosing democracy.. Bit ironic and schizophrenic. After that 8 years of governing of yours you should better remain silent...and look deeply into yourselves!!!For me the last 8 years was a true dictatorship...police brutality, corruption, denying our own history and nation.. and all this because of an idiotic anti-hungarian insane Gyurcsány and people who were blind enough to follow him. I hope you also made yourselves heard very loudly when the mass police attacks happened and the Öszöd speech was leaked...

Zigomer Trubahin

One of Huns, I'd really like to see the old commies ousted from their entrenched positions, but why is Schmitt (vice-minister during the communist era) the president of the republic now and why is Pozsgay (comrade of comrades, second-in-command of the old communist party before the transition) high in the favour of Orbán, one of the drafters of the new consitution? Many people hoped that Orban would pass legislation that would deny old party leaders and other apparatchiks to take any public position. That will be hard to implement now after he made an old commie president, won't it?

Problem is, guys, ORBÁN IS NOT DOING WHAT YOU THINK HE IS DOING. He is not doing away with commies, he is not doing away with budget deficit (what we have now is only a temporary solution), he is not really reforming our crumbling education system, he is not doing away with suffocating bureaucracy, he is not doing away with corruption (remember the 5-billion photo deal?), he is not doing away with government arrogance we so much resented under Gyurcsany, he is not doing anything to save our healthcare from collapse. The only thing he actually DID so far was the tax cut: placing a huge burden on the budget, actually 80% of the people will earn the same, or less, than before.

I, personally, don't mind the tax he imposed on multinationals, they've had their share of the profits, let them pay. Banks and telecommunication in Hungary is extra profitable; now it will be a little less profitable, what then? But what is Orban going to spend that money on? The budget the parliament is just about to pass now is the same structure as we had under Gyurcsany. Not a single reform to the huge, useless spending-wasting machinery has been implemented. Nothing sensible people hoped, expected or wanted. Not even old commie criminals have been tried! Just theater for the people: nice speeches, promises, threats, visions - látványpolitizálás (=policy of appearances) is the word, my friends. Gyurcsany reloaded, that's what we got with this Orban guy, like it or not.

Dodo Bird

Dictionary definition of etatism or statism perfectly fits Mr Orban's


One of Huns

"mh_hu wrote:
Dec 17th 2010 4:10 GMT





There are just two solutions:
2. very hard calling to account and aggressive supplanter process.


This is why, there is no third way.


@k-geza Funny, that Fidesz said EXACTLY the same when they were in the opposition... so both parties have been populist while governing. That's nothing new.

So it seems many are waiting for a 3th way out - we could do with more political parties anyway! However, unfortunately Fidesz also changed the election law, making it much more difficult for new parties to arise.

I'm from a country with steadily >5 parties over the 5% treshold - sigh -


A really biased "article", in fact an anarcholiberal artifact, even for Economist's standard.
Shame is the name of the game the author of this Soviet style "article" should feel.


Megfigyelo: Yes, I think there will be free elections. Decisions and thinking will be constrained, though. They will make sure that only such content will flow from the media wich do not abuse the human(their)dignity.


@tibi74: Do you really think that there will be any *free* elections in Hungary in the next decade? Oh sancta simplicitas!


@Megfigyelo someone who got so much severance payment they are not making low wages so hopefully they could save enough to sirvive.

I dont feel sorry for them. avarage workers after 30 years job dont get that kind of money.

U forget the thruth behind this act. some of them only took the job less then a year, then after they had the severanca money , they were hired back.
Or they received 100 millions and at the same time they were corrupt. No only these people has big mouth about the rules.

So this is not for avarage teachers. So U are out of picture more then me.

@Lily Anne just leave until is not too late, not too many jobs oversees.

HVG, 168 óra, népszabadság,index, ATV, MTV soroljam????

belive me communist took care of every important post in the last 20 years you cannot just get rid of them.


It is time that Orbán has consolidated his powers after 20 years of ying yang ruled by socio-liberal governments. They are true conservatives nothing to do with the right wing, time to reckognize that national integrity has to come first for all nations instead of buckling up to "internationalism" driven by the banks and multinationals.



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