Ukraine in the cross-hairs

Pundits across the political spectrum ponder the fate and future of crisis ridden Ukraine. Left-wing and moderate conservative analysts hope that the EU will help the country down the democratic path, but warn that Russia may try to prevent Ukraine’s European integration. A right-wing daily, on the other hand, cautions against optimism and fears the plundering of Ukraine by Western investors. A centrist blogger proposes federalization as an alternative to break-up. READ MORE

Arguments against immigrant workforce restrictions in Britain

A centre-right legal analyst thinks the concerns motivating PM David Cameron are understandable, but as a member state of the European Union, the UK has to abide by the common rules. READ MORE

Moderate conservative cautions Orbán against negative campaign

A conservative blogger claims that Orbán could be “Hungary’s Merkel” if he could only show restraint and fashion his party as a “force for stability”. READ MORE

Reding accused of plotting against Hungary

A left-wing commentator dismisses a report in the leading pro-government daily about an alleged EU-scheme to question the legitimacy of the 2014 election, as a classical conspiracy theory. A conservative pundit, on the other hand, suggests that whatever was actually discussed, meetings of top European politicians and the business elite behind closed doors weaken the democratic image of Europe. READ MORE

Excessive deficit procedure against Hungary to be lifted

Right-wing commentators celebrate Hungary’s exit from the EU excessive deficit procedure, which they interpret as an acknowledgment of the government’s performance. Left-wing pundits, on the other hand, believe that the EU pressurized Orbán into submission, and fear that the Hungarian economy will not grow any time soon. READ MORE

Hungary under fire from Brussels

A leading left-wing commentator criticises the Prime Minister’s explanation of the discontent expressed by European officials over recent legal developments in Hungary, while a Fidesz MEP thinks Hungary’s policies are being criticised because they do not fit into “the liberal consensus”. READ MORE

Friendly criticism of the Fourth Amendment

Conservative scholars say they will not team up with those who cry wolf and envision an end to democracy in Hungary. But they also explain why they cannot approve of either the content or the style of the recent constitutional amendments. They call for more humility on the part of the government. READ MORE

Will Áder represent the unity of the nation?

Most, but not all left-wing commentators believe that the future President of the Republic will play the tune of the government and will therefore not be the kind of balancing factor the head of the state is expected to be. An MEP colleague of Mr Áder says divisions are too deep for anyone to possibly satisfy the expectations of all political sides. READ MORE

Will Orbán manage to be tough, and still ready to compromise?

A conservative philosopher believes Prime Minister Orbán should use more diplomatic language in his argument with the European Union, but admits that Brussels gives him little room to make concessions without losing face.

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Lessons of the Slovak elections

Commentators seem to agree that Hungarians in Slovakia are among the losers of the Parliamentary election there. Some blame what they call the Orbán government’s wrong-headed cross-border policies; others believe the new inter-ethnic party is at fault. READ MORE