Left and liberal papers question the wisdom of the prison sentence handed down to Béla Biszku, a former high ranking communist, for war crimes committed after the 1956 revolution. They echo the arguments of the defence that the trial was politically motivated. READ MORE
Analysts across the political spectrum agree that politicians used the anniversary of the 1956 revolution to kick off the election campaign. READ MORE
Pro-government columnists accuse the opposition of using the anniversary to entrench political cleavages. Left-wing pundits, on the other hand, suspect that the government is using the public media and other state run services to silence the opposition. READ MORE
A leading left-wing columnist regards any revolutionary option as uncivilised, but wonders if there is a way to oust Fidesz from power without resorting to violence. READ MORE
Commentators across the political spectrum assess the speeches of PM Orbán and former PM Bajnai in the light of the 2014 election. Both left and right-wing columnists wonder if Bajnai can succeed in uniting moderates, socialists, greens and liberals dissatisfied with the Orbán government. READ MORE
The “distance duel” between the two heroes of the two opposing camps on the anniversary of the 1956 revolution shoots mainstream politics into the top TV news, if only for a few days. READ MORE
Editorials published on Monday to mark the anniversary of the 1956 revolution (the dailies are not published on national holidays) reflect the papers’ political affiliations. READ MORE
Right-wing pundits believe that the criminal inquiry into the suspected war crimes of the former Communist politician is an important symbolic act which could serve historical reconciliation. Liberal columnists, however, worry that the government wants to use Biszku’s case against the opposition parties. READ MORE
Péter Dániel, a left-wing activist has apologized for labelling Mária Wittner, a victim of the post-1956 purges, “a cheap prostitute”. A left-wing commentator suggests that the memories of actual hookers who became martyrs of the revolution should also be respected. READ MORE
Népszava defends right wing MP Mária Wittner, a fighter in the ’56 revolution, who was verbally attacked by a left wing activist. READ MORE