The two leading liberal weeklies urge the opposition to stand firm behind Péter Márki-Zay, despite his gaffes. A pro-government commentator fears that the national interest would be compromised if Fidesz loses. Another right-wing pundit speculates that foreign powers will intervene to help the opposition in the campaign. READ MORE
A left-wing and a conservative commentator agree that the opposition has lost the momentum it gained during the October primaries when it chose its candidates for Prime Minister and for the 106 individual electoral constituencies. READ MORE
A conservative commentator defends the governing party’s Christian character against left-wing critics, while another appreciates the personal qualities of Viktor Orbán, the re-elected party leader. A liberal pundit, on the other hand, calls Fidesz a party of thieves and dunces. READ MORE
Pro-government film producer Gábor Kálomista’s new thriller on the street clashes and brutal police clampdown before and on the anniversary of the 1956 revolution in 2006 is proving a great success among the pro-government public. 15 years after the controversial events took place with Ferenc Gyurcsány as Prime Minister, remembering those days has been one of the main themes of this year’s celebration of the anniversary on the government side. (For the 2006 riots, see e.g., BudaPost, September 5, 2011.) READ MORE
Weeklies published before the closing of the opposition primary on Saturday assessed the chances of the frontrunners, their prospects in the April general election and the main tasks of the opposition, after the primary. READ MORE
By the time the news broke on Friday that Klára Dobrev will face a single challenger, namely Péter Márki-Zay, in the second round of the primaries to choose the opposition prime ministerial candidate in next year’s elections, the weeklies were already on the newsstands. They could therefore not react to Gergely Karácsony’s withdrawal from the race, but most did comment on Márki–Zay’s surprisingly successful performance. READ MORE
Commentators across the political spectrum wonder whether, if they win the election next April, the opposition could or would revoke the Fundamental Law – even in the absence of the required two-thirds majority in Parliament. READ MORE
As voting begins in the opposition primaries to choose PM Orbán’s challenger, weeklies and the weekend editions of dailies wonder whether the opposition would and could overhaul the constitution even in the absence of the required two-thirds majority. READ MORE
Commentators try to make sense of the collapse of the Afghan government and the victory of the Taliban, as US forces have not yet fully withdrawn from Afghanistan. READ MORE
Pro-government commentators portray Hungary as a defender of traditional European values. Their liberal counterpart, on the other hand, accuses the Hungarian governing party of building disturbing strategic partnerships within and beyond the EU. READ MORE