Former MSZP politician may avoid imprisonment

A conservative columnist contends that although former MSZP Vice President Gábor Simon, currently under investigation for undeclared assets, may avoid imprisonment, voters will not acquit the Socialists of corruption charges.

Tax authority chief admits being US ban

Left-wing commentators accuse the government of having lied for two weeks by claiming not to know if the President of the Tax Authority was one of the six Hungarians banned from entering the United States, on suspicion of corruption. A leading politician reiterates that Mrs Vida never informed the cabinet.

Far-right mayor stages anti-Israel performance

Columnists from both left and right express their disappointment that in contemporary Hungary the mayor of a small municipality can gain public attention through staging an idiotic and nonsensical, but at the same time potentially harmful anti-Semitic performance.

Ads tax plan under fire

The leading pro-government daily says a proposed new law would endanger media freedom without aubstantially benefiting the budget.  

Fidesz to offer a pact to Socialists?

A young pro-government writer suggests that Fidesz helped the Socialists to preserve their place in Hungarian politics, and now it is time for the MSZP to take up the offer and give up “the democracy agenda”. The author, a member of the Young Christian Democrats (affiliated with the Fidesz-KDNP coalition) ...

A weekend of campaign rallies

The rallies of the last weekend before the election are seen by commentators as shows of strength. While left-liberal minded observers think Fidesz is underestimating its opponent, a leading pro-government commentator finds the joint opposition rally pathetic and ridiculous.

Will Fidesz keep its 2/3 majority?

Left-wing commentators still hope that a crushing Fidesz victory can be prevented. In that case, they suggest, any complaints from the Left about the new election rules will seem more credible. Their right-wing counterparts meanwhile are pulling out all the stops to mobilise their readers for one last push. They ...

Jobbik’s mounting popularity connected to “African” revelations

Népszabadság believes that in reaction to the low moral standards of mainstream political parties, disenchanted voters may turn towards the extreme right.

Left-wing media propose electoral TV duels

Népszabadság and ATV propose a series of televised debates, including a duel between PM Viktor Orbán and Socialist Party leader Attila Mesterházy during the last week of the campaign. Right-wing pundits dismiss the idea that such pre-electoral debates are a must in any democracy.

Socialists fatally wounded by scandals – Népszabadság says

In an unsigned editorial, Népszabadság suggests that the recent scandals concerning MSZP politicians who are accused of tax fraud and bribery are lethal to the identity of a left wing party.