Looking back on the 1989 Pan-European Picnic, a pro-government commentator contends that at the time, Hungarians had unrealistic hopes about the transition. He also believes that the West should show more respect towards Hungarian sovereignty. A left-wing columnist accuses PM Orbán of knocking liberal democracy again. READ MORE
Commentators from both right and left use the occasion of the national holiday to impose their political messages on St. Stephen’s historical contribution. READ MORE
A conservative analyst suggests that in times of severe social crisis, conservatives should not recoil from increasing state intervention in the economy and reducing poverty in order to strengthen national cohesion. READ MORE
Liberal pundits criticize both Right and Left for not confronting policies which they see as targeting the Roma who live in poverty. A Minister is criticized for his “unfortunate” statement on the Roma Holocaust. A Dutch-Hungarian psychologist calls for the publication of Hungarian crime statistics by ethnicity. READ MORE
A conservative columnist writes that the embargo imposed on food produce by Russia as a retaliation for Western sanctions will harm Hungary. She suspects that the US is insisting on such harsh sanctions against Moscow in order to strengthen its economic position in Europe. READ MORE
A conservative analyst contends that the Hungarian Left is failing to offer compelling and coherent answers to the challenges of contemporary societies. Instead, its representatives keep repeating the hollow slogans of liberalism – and label their opponents as fascists. READ MORE
The leading left-wing daily accuses the floor leader of the MSZP of obstructing the agreement on a joint left-wing mayoral candidate. A pro-government columnist suggests that the latest candidate for the Left lacks the expertise needed to run Budapest. READ MORE
Columnists from both left and right express their disappointment that in contemporary Hungary the mayor of a small municipality can gain public attention through staging an idiotic and nonsensical, but at the same time potentially harmful anti-Semitic performance. READ MORE
A left-wing columnist finds it disappointing that politicians across the board twist the rules in order to gain immoral benefits. He believes that unless the Left learns to play by the rules, it cannot credibly accuse the government of corruption. READ MORE
Left-wing and liberal columnists accuse the government of rewriting the Budapest municipal election rules in order to secure their victory at the October election, and the Constitutional Court of assisting the government in what they consider as a limitation of basic rights. A conservative analyst contends that the new rules will make the governance of Budapest more effective. Another suggests that accusations of malpractice against the government is a sure sign that the Left anticipates another defeat. READ MORE