Who is threatening whom?

A liberal pundit accuses the Prime Minister of threatening his critics. A pro-government columnist dismisses the accusation and recalls that the opposition has threatened government politicians with imprisonment.

Vona describes Jobbik as ‘the last bastion of democracy’

As Jobbik leader Gábor Vona claims that his party is the ‘last bastion of democracy’, a pro-government commentator accuses him of pure opportunism. A left-wing blogger also dismisses the idea that Mr Vona would in any way be a defender of democracy.

Jobbik as the central theme of year-end politics

As the Jobbik party stands accused of illicit campaign financing, columnists on Left and Right ponder the impact of its billboard-financing controversy on party politics and electoral chances.

Jobbik to demonstrate against campaign finance fine

As the Jobbik party announces a demonstration ‘in defence of democracy’, a left-wing blogger wonders whether liberals and left-wingers should join the demonstration of the radical party.

State Audit Office fines Jobbik 

Liberal and conservative pundits accuse the State Audit Office of Hungary of using double standards after it fined Jobbik for illicit campaign financing. A pro-government columnist thinks the office did its job and applied the law in a fair way.

Poster bill is back in parliament

As the government tries to push its ban on political posters outside electoral campaigns through Parliament, a left-wing commentator claims that if successful, this would deprive   opposition parties of one of their few remaining tools to reach a wider public.

Campaign ad law amendments rejected by Parliament

A pro-government commentator accuses opposition parties of corruption after opposition MPs rejected the government’s amendments to the political campaign law. Magyar Nemzet’s columnist, on the other hand, thinks that the government wants to silence the opposition.

Parties already in campaign mode

Commentators try to make sense of the bitter campaign which parties have launched, less than 12 months before the next parliamentary elections. The battles rage both across the main political fault line, and within the opposition camp.

Opposition rallies on May 1

A pro-government columnist thinks that Hungarian voters will not buy the opposition’s claims that the Fidesz government is ruining the country. Two liberal commentators fear that the Left is unlikely to unite against Fidesz.

Parliament passes amendments to law on foreign universities

As Parliament turned into law the amendments to the higher education act on Tuesday, a conservative columnist suspects that the government’s ideologically motivated attack on CEU may easily backfire. Pro-government sources describe the opposition to the law as pure hysteria.