Veteran Hungarian-Austrian journalist excoriates PM Orbán
September 14th, 2019Paul Lendvai acknowledges the Prime Minister’s political talent but condemns his policies and accuses him of immorality and cynicism.
In 168 óra, journalist and writer Paul Lendvai, who has lived in Austria for the past 62 years and is a staunch opponent of Mr Orbán’s government (see BudaPost 2011 through 2016) describes the current Hungarian government as an autocracy. He admits that PM Orbán is a talented political operator, who manoeuvres deftly within the European Union, but he criticises the EU for its weakness in handling leaders of Mr Orbán’s ilk. The incumbent government will only be removed if there is a united opposition with charismatic leaders, but such people are nowhere in sight, he complains. He hopes, nevertheless, that the local elections in October may kickstart a long process of change.