PM Orbán’s speech at the European Parliament continues to be a major subject of debate. Conservative commentators tend to agree that Hungary should not become more open to migrants, while left-wing and liberal commentators accuse the government of xenophobia. READ MORE
Ever since party leader Gábor Vona set out to re-brand Jobbik as a relatively moderate party refraining from racism – a process which began at the end of 2013 and has recently accelerated – commentators have pondered whether or not the change is genuine or just a face lift. And most importantly, whether Jobbik has a real chance of winning the next parliamentary elections in three years’ time. READ MORE
Gábor Bencsik, the younger of the Bencsik brothers, defends András Bencsik’s statement that a pro-government ’Peace March’ could not be organised nowadays, because people are disappointed with the Fidesz government. He calls on the government to listen to friendly criticism. READ MORE
As Jobbik leader Gábor Vona promises to prune out racist elements from his party, columnists wonder if Jobbik can be transformed into a moderate party without losing the support of its radical core. READ MORE
Left-wing magazines point out how damaging the charge levelled against the Prime Minister by his former close ally is. Liberal pundits think the uncertainty about former real or imagined police informants should have been settled long time ago by publishing all Communist secret service files, while right-wing commentators call Mr Simicska’s allegations sheer slander. READ MORE
Hungary’s weeklies put Chancellor Merkel’s talks in Budapest on Monday and President Putin’s visit two weeks later in the context of Hungary’s position as a NATO member country that has consistently voted against sanctions against Moscow, while working on new joint projects with Russia. READ MORE
In the wake of Prime Minister Orbán’s calls for stricter immigration policies within the European Union, weeklies ruminate over the steeply mounting number of asylum seekers and fear that rather than a transit country, Hungary will be targeted by them as their future country of residence. READ MORE
Commentators across the political spectrum agree that after three consecutive easy electoral victories this year, the government is now under unexpected pressure. In their last issues before the end of the year, the weeklies tend to believe that the governing forces owe their difficulties to their own mistakes, although foreign pressure is also being mentioned among the causes. READ MORE
Left-wing analysts accuse the government of dismissing every internal and external criticism of its work as an attempt to curb Hungarian national sovereignty. A right-wing columnist claims that Hungarians have a very negative image of the US and the EU. READ MORE