The first comments on the outcome of the European People’s Party Presidency meeting on Hungary express a mixture of confusion and contradictions on whether the Prime Minister made concessions in Brussels, or defended his positions against criticism and pressure. READ MORE
Ahead of a memorial event planned in the park where the communist philosopher’s statue stood until late March, two opposing views have been expressed in the press on whether or not György Lukács should be revered as a valuable part of Hungary’s intellectual heritage. READ MORE
As Parliament begins to debate a bill on NGOs which receive foreign funding, pundits across the political spectrum discuss the idea of an ‘open society’, an ideal frequently evoked by George Soros, and assess the status and political role of NGOs in Hungary. READ MORE
Two young conservative pundits suggest that young middle class conservatives feel alienated by the policies of Fidesz. A pro-government commentator calls for dialogue between conservative elites and the government. READ MORE
A left-wing columnist defends demonstrators who throw paint as public buildings, on the grounds that they ‘have no other means to express their anger.’ A pro-government commentator thinks that everyone has the right to protest but only as long as they obey the law and respect public order. READ MORE
A pro-government columnist interprets the success of the Turkish referendum as a sign that Turkey is turning away from Europe. A left-wing commentator thinks Erdogan is doomed to fail because he has divided his country. READ MORE
Commenting on PM Orbán’s Easter interviews, a conservative critic of the government thinks that Fidesz has alienated its conservative intellectual supporters. A pro-government commentator shares the PM’s view, when he detects George Soros behind the recent anti-government protests. READ MORE
After the fourth anti-government demonstration in four days, commentators express strongly diverging views on their significance. They agree, however, that the protests in Budapest are unlikely to turn into something like the ’colour revolutions’ in former Soviet republics. READ MORE
As the State Department urges Hungary to suspend the implementation of the new Higher Education Act, commentators disagree sharply on what lies behind the controversy within Hungary and internationally. READ MORE
After President Áder ordered the promulgation of the amended Act on Higher Education, political polarisation has reached new levels in the Hungarian press. READ MORE