Left wing commentators are extremely critical of the measures announced by the Prime Minister and the Economy Minister on Tuesday. The right wing daily Magyar Nemzet reminds readers that it was the previous Socialist governments which ran the country so deeply into debt. READ MORE
Right-wing commentators sharply condemn a socialist writer for his bitter words about the Hungarian people as a whole. A left-wing commentator agrees with them, but mainly because the left-wing writer plays into the hands of the worst right-wingers.
Tags: anti-Semitism, racism
The pro-government Magyar Nemzet stresses that the government’s position is stable, despite all the financial difficulties and mistakes which afflict it, while the left-wing Népszabadság believes that PM Viktor Orbán’s meeting last week with (mainly conservative) economists was just a show-case. READ MORE
The current party and campaign financing rules make corruption structurally necessary, left-wing and liberal-conservative pundits agree. Even though the need for a thorough reform of the relevant legislation is widely recognised, decision makers appear unlikely to show either the courage or the willingness to make the system more transparent. READ MORE
Tags: campaign financing, corruption
A pro-government commentator believes that Socialist officials guilty of illegal practices while in government should be jailed, or at least voluntarily withdraw from politics. Left wing analysts don’t believe the latest spy story. READ MORE
A left-wing pundit ponders whether the country’s financial difficulties may encroach on the government’s two thirds majority in Parliament. He draws inspiration from an article by a right-wing colleague. READ MORE
Tags: austerity, debt, taxes, two-thirds
Wednesday’s daily papers illustrate how left and right in Hungary hold diametrically opposed opinions, not only on the main issues, but even on what the main issues are. Both conservative and left-wing papers comment on the decision by the Constitutional Court to postpone a ruling on the nationalisation of compulsory pension funds, while the two right wing dailies carry editorials on an apparently arrogant private comment made by the liberal President of the National Bank three years ago. READ MORE
In the wake of the prime minister’s announcement of hard times to come, left-wing commentators demand that the government takes a long hard look at its own policies, while right-wing analysts are divided on the necessity of swift policy changes. READ MORE
A centrist political analyst believes that the government is in for a rather challenging second year in office. It is becoming increasingly difficult to blame former left wing governments for the hardships facing the public. READ MORE
Tags: government
It might be an appeal for a friendly gesture or the beginning of a war for the left-wing vote, it depends on your choice of commentator. The fact of the matter is that the left-liberal Democratic Charter has written an open letter asking the floor leader of LMP, András Schiffer to withdraw the criminal complaint he lodged two years ago against the then PM Ferenc Gyurcsány. READ MORE