A liberal on book shredding

A liberal pundit warns that far-right policies should be confronted on their substance rather than on formalities.

Dispute over Hungarian Zeitgeist

A liberal pundit attributes the continuing popularity of Fidesz to the growing hopelessness of voters. His pro-government counterpart writes that regime change is still incomplete as culture is still dominated by left-wing liberal post-communists.

Miklós Németh blames his successors

Hungary’s last reformist Communist Prime Minister accuses the successive heads of government after 1990 of having neglected basic economic and constitutional reforms.

Mária Schmidt reads László Rajk Jr’s memoirs

A conservative historian criticizes László Rajk Jr. whom she findsmore critical towards the incumbent government than towards the communist dictatorship.

More reactions to the PM’s address

A liberal commentator compares the Prime Minister’s speech to late communist party chief János Kádár’s last address. A pro-government analyst explains what ‘Christian liberty’ means while a left-wing commentator lambasts opposition leaders whom he suggests have no message at all.

The DK sends Klára Dobrev to the European Parliament

As Ferenc Gyurcsány’s Democratic Coalition (DK) nominates Mr Gyurcsány’s wife as its top candidate for the EP elections, a pro-government commentator points out that her grandfather was a leading figure of the Communist regime, while her party’s spokesman takes up her defence.

Weeklies on the anti-government demonstrations

While the two bills that sparked passionate anti-government demonstrations were signed into law by President Áder who then became the target of this year’s last protest rally, nationwide weeklies try to put the December protest into perspective.

Milo in Budapest

Critics of the government struggle to figure out whether the decision by a public foundation to invite two controversial personalities, Steve Bannon and Milo Yiannopoulos to address several hundred strong audiences in Budapest carries a political message.

‘Stop Soros’ bill tabled in Parliament

Opinions sharply diverge on the government bill which would force NGOs which ‘actively promote mass immigration’ to seek authorisation from the Minister of the Interior. A liberal reporter believes the bill may not pass, as the government does not command the two thirds majority needed for the part of the ...

Opposition opinion makers seen as living in a bubble

A left-wing political scientist finds that the cultures war being waged by the intellectual élite of the opposition doesn’t even remotely intersect with the desires, the complaints and the ambitions of the majority.