A popular liberal blogger reacts ironically to the appointment of a radical right wing actor as director of a small Budapest theatre, describing it as a selfless decision in favour of the mentally deranged. A leading moderate conservative commentator cautions against possible negative consequences. READ MORE
According to a moderate conservative fact-finding journalist, the beleaguered former PM and Socialist Party chairman Ferenc Gyurcsány intends to set up a broad left-wing coalition, with his immediate successor, Gordon Bajnai as PM Viktor Orbán’s challenger. READ MORE
As the world mourns Steve Jobs, a blog is searching for his Hungarian equivalents and concludes that right now Hungary is not the best place for innovators. READ MORE
Tags: economy
A pro-government commentator does not understand why left-wing newspapers which criticise the public service media are getting expensive advertisements from the Media Council, while cultural institutions are short of money. READ MORE
Tags: culture
The broad Hungarian opposition scene is waiting for a newcomer with the necessary ‘X-factor’ to defeat the governing Fidesz party at the next general elections – writes political analyst Ferenc Kumin. He challenges in his blog a colleague who has spotted possible contenders among the leaders of last weekend’s anti-government demonstrations. (X-factor is a singers’ contest broadcast by a commercial TV-channel.) READ MORE
Commentators are deeply divided over the official charges laid by the public prosecutor against former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány. While left wing Népszabadság believes that PM Viktor Orbán wants to see his political opponent in prison or at least prosecuted, right wing Magyar Nemzet says that Mr Gyurcsány should have tried to clear his name on Monday, instead of making political speeches. READ MORE
Tags: Gyurcsány
Left-wing commentators believe that last weekend’s demonstrations were just the beginning of a protest season against government policies, while others suggest that the street actions did not even help the opposition parties. READ MORE
Tags: Orbán, protests, Trade Unions
Journalists and political analysts of both leftist and conservative inclinations wonder who might emerge as a rival to Viktor Orbán either as prime minister or as right-wing leader. The centre-right governing coalition is losing support, but the opposition parties have failed so far to increase their own popularity. READ MORE
Népszava comments ironically on the government’s reaction to a resolution by the European Commission which found Hungary at fault for imposing a surplus tax on telecoms. Magyar Hírlap, on the other hand, complains that Brussels interferes too much in Hungarian domestic affairs. READ MORE