Covid-19. A left-wing economist finds the idea viable

András Fekete-Győr argued that the 700 billion Forints it would thus cost to vaccinate 7 million people would be worth the resulting herd immunity. At present, less than 40 per cent of Hungarians appear willing to get vaccinated, while half of the remaining two-thirds are resolutely opposed to vaccination. READ MORE

PM predicts conflicts in the EU

A liberal foreign policy expert agrees with the Prime Minister in expecting the government to come under intense international pressure this year. READ MORE

A wake-up call for the opposition

A centrist political scientist thinks the government has been successful in handling the coronavirus emergency, while the opposition has remained almost invisible throughout the past three months. READ MORE

DK politician accused of racism

Scandal makes local election contest unexpectedly close

Commentators see the case of the Fidesz mayor of the western city of Győr as particularly harmful for the government side, although sex videos and audio tapes discussing corruption have also surfaced involving local opposition politicians. READ MORE

MSZP attempts to absorb the electoral shock

Witnessing the Socialist party’s loss of one third of its previous voting base at the European Parliamentary elections, a right-wing pundit ironizes over the only MEP the MSZP has managed to send to Brussels. A defeated left-wing politician sends a bitter message to his fellow party members. READ MORE

Further comments on the departure of the Central European University

Left-wing commentators see a litmus test in the government’s handing of the CEU affair; one explains why the Prime Minister feels he cannot compromise on that matter, while pro-government outlets ridicule the protests over the planned transfer of most CEU courses to Vienna. READ MORE

Young people collect signatures against Budapest’s Olympic bid

Left-liberal commentators resolutely oppose the government’s plans to host the 2024 Olympic Games, but are undecided about Momentum (Momo for short), the movement founded by Hungarian graduates of British universities who are promoting a referendum against the project. READ MORE

FM unveils harsh past exchanges with State Department

In an interview with the ATV television website, Foreign Minister Péter Szíjjártó said Hungary has been regularly under heavy pressure from the US State Department and he had unpleasant personal exchanges with Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland with both of them speaking at the top of their voice. READ MORE

Waiting for Merkel

As opposition groupings plan to hold demonstrations to welcome Chancellor Merkel in Budapest in February, commentators believe she will concentrate on relations with Russia rather than internal Hungarian affairs. READ MORE