Left-wing pundits welcome the decision of Corvinus University to keep Karl Marx’s statue on its premises, rejecting a claim that the figure of the “intellectual father” of Communism should not be exhibited in the University’s main hall and serve as a daily meeting point for young people. READ MORE
The date of the election itself has become a campaign topic, with left-wing commentators suspecting that the President’s decision was prompted by political convenience rather than neutral rationality. READ MORE
Pro-government commentators welcome the nuclear deal between Hungary and Russia, and argue that it will serve the Hungarian national interest. Left-wing columnists, on the other hand, criticize the lack of transparency and the increased dependence on the Russian energy infrastructure which the agreement will cause. READ MORE
Liberal columnists are highly sceptical about a new opposition pact which incorporates Ferenc Gyurcsány into Gordon Bajnai and Attila Mesterházy’s alliance. Some blame leading progressive intellectuals for interfering with the political process. In a lone optimistic column, a political analyst linked to the Socialist Party suggests that all is not yet lost.
Left-wing dailies express mixed emotions over the new opposition pact, fearing that time is too short to reach out to potential voters. A pro-government commentator thinks that by embracing Mr Gyurcsány as their future partner, Socialist Party chairman Attila Mesterházy and Together-2014 leader Gordon Bajnai have given up their quest for something different to the pre-2010 system of government. READ MORE
A left-wing daily welcomes Bajnai’s move as a new chance to beat Orbán with joint candidates and a coordinated campaign – a much-needed boost for opposition morale. READ MORE
Left-wing commentators echo the misgivings expressed by opposition politicians about the government’s plan to erect a monument commemorating the invasion of Hungary by Nazi Germany in 1944. The statue is due to be unveiled on the 70th anniversary, i.e. March 19th, on Szabadság (Freedom) square, in front of the monument to Soviet soldiers. Left-wing politicians have criticised the hasty decision and expressed fears that the monument will implicitly whitewash the role of those Hungarians who collaborated with the Nazis. READ MORE
In their traditional New Year columns, left and right-wing dailies alike agree that Fidesz is the probable winner of the next elections, but that prospect does not make them equally happy. READ MORE
Right-wing commentators contend that PM Orbán’s vision is closer to social democratic ideals than the policies of past socialist-liberal governments. Left-wing pundits, on the other hand, accuse Fidesz of favoring the rich instead of supporting those in need. READ MORE
A veteran left-wing pundit suggests that defeating the current government must be a priority for competing opposition leaders and should induce them to set their rivalry aside. READ MORE