One week before the municipal elections, commentators see critical signs on both sides of the dividing line between mainstream parties. But they disagree on the nature of the political model being shaped by a majority which is increasingly left without a powerful opposition. READ MORE
Tags: campaign financing, democracy, elections, Fidesz
Tags: culture wars, Fidesz, Holocaust, Lázár, US
Analysts on the Left debate whether the left-wing parties should or could support Lajos Bokros as candidate for Budapest mayor despite his neoliberal economic ideas. The leading left-wing daily predicts that after the municipal elections, a new round of intra-Left battles will unfold. READ MORE
A centrist blog finds it controversial that the US and American intellectuals like to accuse the Hungarian government of curbing democracy, but at the same time do not mind if a racist organization holds a conference in a Washington government building. READ MORE
Tags: far-right, free speech, Orbán, racism
Commentators from right across the political spectrum agree that the Left is in complete disarray and chaos, as the left-wing Budapest mayoral candidate resigns and left-wing parties fail to reach an agreement on whether they should back a conservative candidate instead of Falus in the October 12 local election. READ MORE
As PM Orbán praises the ideals of Christian Democracy, the leading left-wing daily accuses him of betraying its core principles. A pro-government columnist, on the other hand, believes that the Fidesz-KDNP coalition has a coherent ideological vision. READ MORE
Tags: KDNP, liberalism, liberals, Orbán
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. READ MORE
A centrist analyst maintains that PM Orbán is not a dictator, but rather a highly professional politician who is unlikely to be defeated by the current Left. A liberal pundit replies by pointing out that in 2002, Orbán was defeated by Péter Medgyessy, who was considered to be an unprofessional politician. READ MORE
Tags: Orbán
Left-wing and liberal commentators accuse the government of planning brutal cuts as Minister of National Economy Varga announces plans to reduce the rate of government spending. A conservative blogger suggests that the rate can be reduced without major austerity measures, provided the economy keeps growing at its current rate. READ MORE
Tags: austerity, budget, deficit, economy, GDP, growth, Varga
After President Obama mentioned Hungary alongside Egypt as a county which intimidates NGOs, Népszabadság warns that those remarks were only the beginning and the worst is still ahead. Heti Válasz believes that the NGOs concerned are in reality liberal political activists, but condemns demonstrations of force against them. READ MORE