A prestigious left-wing commentator believes the electoral law forces the Socialists and their allies to wage an uphill struggle, but blames them for underperforming in the campaign. READ MORE
A left-wing commentator accuses the government of manipulating the election through gerrymandering and domination of the media. A columnist in the leading left-wing daily contends that the public media distorts even reports on events on Ukraine in order to save PM Orbán’s face. A pro-government pundit, on the other hand, accuses former PM Gyurcsány of having manipulated the 2006 elections. READ MORE
A liberal think tank claims that commercial media decided not to run campaign ads both because this would eat up valuable slots, and because they are afraid of alienating their audience with unsavoury political messages. READ MORE
A centrist analyst says Viktor Orbán’s speech was short and dull but he might be playing it safe, rather than stirring up emotions, given his substantial lead just seven weeks before the elections. READ MORE
On the left, Viktor Orbán’s annual Sunday speech is described as “success propaganda” and scaremongering, while pro-government commentators condemn Ferenc Gyurcsány’s Saturday speech as “scandalous” from the man they hold responsible for his country’s demise. READ MORE
The leading left-wing daily suspects the campaign of the governing party will be dominated by the single issue of energy and utility tariff cuts. A pro-government commentator, on the other hand, finds it strange that MSZP leader Attila Mesterházy missed the opportunity to attend the session and outline a left-wing alternative to the current government in parliament. READ MORE
“The war on utility costs” is featured in two parallel analyses of the upcoming election campaign. A left-leaning commentator notes that Fidesz chose the cut in utility prices as its main theme for the campaign and the now united opposition must convince the electorate that they offer more substantial safety and freedom. A commentator for a pro-government daily notes that negative statements on the utility cost issue will hardly provide enough fuel for the left-wing campaign. Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics, in his regular column, sums up the dilemma as finding a good policy that is also popular enough to win an election. READ MORE
A pro-government author accuses the Socialist leader of pining for revenge, while a left-winger claims that Fidesz applies double standards to hateful remarks and that the scandal is part of a character assassination attempt. READ MORE
In their first post-new-year’s-day analyses of the electoral landscape, most columnists consider Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party the likely winner of the next elections, although a left-wing commentator suspects that the opposition constituency is underrepresented by the opinion polls. READ MORE
In their traditional New Year columns, left and right-wing dailies alike agree that Fidesz is the probable winner of the next elections, but that prospect does not make them equally happy. READ MORE