Does Hungary need an Apocalypse?
October 28th, 2013A centrist analyst believes that Hungarian politicians mirror public sentiments. Polarizing and combative rhetoric are not the inventions of parties but rather the expectations of voters. Regardless of the composition of the government, politics will remain divisive unless Hungarians become more compromising in tone and ideas.
“We are the problem,” Gábor Török comments on the state of Hungarian political culture. The centrist analyst dismisses the view that Hungarian parties are responsible for “the disappointing state of the political community”. Politicians act according to public expectations, Török suggests. PM Orbán is not a dictator, he adds. “Viktor Orbán does not want to lead the country anywhere….All he wants is to be supported by it and remain in office.” PM Orbán offers what Hungarians ask for: divisive political rhetoric and simplistic messages rather than a meaningful political vision and governance, Török contends. Unless “political culture” changes, regardless of the composition of the government, those in power will act likewise, he is convinced. He speculates that it would take “an Apocalypse”, an overall political crisis to make Hungarians realize that political opponents should not be considered as existential enemies, that dissent should not be seen as treason, and that our favorite politicians need not be regarded as Gods.