Commentators agree that the anti-government candidate won the vacant Veszprém seat in Parliament because he is seen as an outsider who does not belong to either the government or the opposition. Thus his victory is a harbinger of a new phase of the game where government candidates can be beaten but the opposition is not a credible challenger. READ MORE
Commenting on the government’s foreign affairs strategy, most left-wing and liberal commentators accuse PM Orbán of selling out to Moscow. Right-wing pundits, on the other hand, defend what they see as the government’s pragmatic and balanced foreign affairs vision. Some moderate analysts castigate mindless exaggerations and ideologically motivated approaches on both sides. READ MORE
A conservative Roma pundit predicts that Hungary’s Roma will soon become a key economic force. He believes that targeting Roma consumers may open up new lucrative business opportunities in several sectors. READ MORE
A pro-government commentator says he cannot find Jobbik leader Gábor Vona’s turn towards moderation credible until the leader of Jobbik discloses his opinion about an infamous racist hate website. READ MORE
A moderate conservative analyst suggests that Jobbik leader Gábor Vona has a chance to become PM Orbán’s challenger, after a series of surprisingly measured statements designed to win over new layers of the electorate. READ MORE
Left-wing bloggers wonder if the demonstrations continuing into the New Year carry messages meaningful enough to eventually produce a new political majority, while conservative commentators suggest that the organisers have yet to offer constructive proposals for Hungary, beyond the desire to rid the country of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. READ MORE
In a note on Sunday’s by-election result, in which the Socialist candidate scored over 50 per cent, a pro-government commentator suggests that a mass of “furious” voters now exist who are ready to choose anyone in their impatience to get rid of Fidesz. A leftist analyst agrees, while a liberal commentator warns that even if Fidesz were to lose its two thirds majority in parliament, its rule would not be in jeopardy. READ MORE
Left-wing analysts are sceptical about the future of this autumn’s protest movement, while a conservative commentator claims that as long as the protesters don’t know themselves what they want, they will not pose any threat to the incumbent government. More radical authors believe that influential circles abroad would not mind toppling PM Orbán. READ MORE