Left-wing liberal columnists contend that the Fidesz victory in the municipal elections is the result of growing defeatism and apathy among voters. A conservative commentator, on the other hand, believes that low turnout is an indication of voters’ confidence and trust in the governing party. READ MORE
Left-wing and liberal commentators accuse the government of planning brutal cuts as Minister of National Economy Varga announces plans to reduce the rate of government spending. A conservative blogger suggests that the rate can be reduced without major austerity measures, provided the economy keeps growing at its current rate. READ MORE
Analysts agree that the municipal elections next month will bring another victory for Fidesz. Left-wing chances of victory are confined to a few municipalities only. Rebuilding the Left seems to be only possible in the long run. 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
In their comments on the Prime Minister’s speech in Baile Tusnad (Tusnádfürdő) on July 26th, left-liberal weeklies accuse Viktor Orbán of openly opting for dictatorship instead of western democracy. Pro-government analysts retort that the speech has been distorted by the left. 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
The stepdaughter of a former Socialist Prime Minister lambasts journalists for “ruining a young man’s dream”, as the media buzzes with comments on the younger Orbán’s presence at his father’s side in the VIP box of the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, watching the World Cup final. READ MORE
On the eve of the annual Budapest Pride walk, conservative columnists suspect that the gay pride movement has been taken over by a militant core that wants to force its worldview on majorities and silence those who do not agree with them. Liberal commentators accuse conservative religious defenders of traditional values and the family of reframing old style homophobia. READ MORE
Left-liberal analysts excoriate the competing left-wing parties and believe that something different has to emerge because in their present state, these forces are no match for the governing conservatives. READ MORE