US accused of pressuring Hungary

Right-wing columnists commenting on the Sunday anti-Fidesz protest accuse Washington of trying to pressurise and destabilise the Orbán government through non-democratic means. They disagree, however, on whether the Hungarian government should take up the gauntlet or seek reconciliation.

Further ruminations on Obama’s Hungary remarks

A left-wing columnist sees the critical remarks made by President Obama accusing the Hungarian government of intimidating NGOs as evidence that the US is deeply concerned about the state of Hungarian democracy. A pro-government commentator accuses President Obama of applying double standards against Hungary.

Former counter-espionage officer appointed state secretary

Liberal commentators note that former Communist secret service personnel have never really left Hungarian politics as no government has had the will to get rid of them. Earlier, a leading pro-government pundit and the organisers of the pro-government “peace marches” called for the removal of the newly appointed state secretary ...

Bajnai and Bilderberg – the plot thickens

A liberal weekly calls recent accusations by right-wing pundits against the Bilderberg Group conspiracy theories, while a pro-government commentator thinks the invitation to Gordon Bajnai this year may signal an intention to interfere in Hungarian domestic politics.

Ten years in the European Union

Most commentators agree that Hungary has made relatively little progress since it joined the European Union ten years ago, despite a net financial transfer amounting to about 1.5 per cent of its GDP. Opinions diverge however on the reasons as well as on the direction European integration should follow.

Further analyses on the Left’s defeat

Right wing analysts assert that the era of the old left is over and young Socialists should start building a new Left without the current left-liberal forces. A liberal commentator on the other hand says Bajnai was not up to the task he undertook and made many strategic blunders.

Easter, the European elections and Christianity

A pro-government commentator calls on the European Union to embrace Christian values, namely respect for the equality of human communities, including all nations, and the redistribution of wealth to the poor.

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 ...

Pre-election landscape

Commentators on both the right and left fear that Jobbik may increase its constituency yet further in the 6 April Parliamentary election, after reaping almost 17 per cent of the popular vote four years ago. Left-wing commentators argue against despair, and one lays the blame for the bankruptcy of the ...

Zuschlag accuses the MSZP and Gyurcsány

Commentators agree that the revelations of a former Socialist MP ,who served six years in prison for corruption, are extremely painful for the Left. Left-wing authors add however, that they believe the claims have been fabricated for propaganda purposes.