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Constitutional Court calls for new law on right of assembly

Thursday, July 14th, 2016

As Hungary’s top court rules that the police did not violate the Constitution by banning a demonstration planned in 2014 in front of PM Orbán’s home, commentators and experts disagree on whether the present legislation on the right of assembly should be reformed or not. READ MORE

Parliament passes anti-terror legislation

Thursday, June 9th, 2016

While left-liberal Népszabadság no longer regards the constitutional amendments as a threat, Népszava thinks they are the beginning of the end of the republic. READ MORE

Liberal commentators attack ‘Emergency State of Terror’ bill

Monday, January 25th, 2016

A former Socialist representative puts forward a ’personal conspiracy theory’ about Fidesz’s proposal on the planned ‘Emergency State of Terror’ constitutional amendment, while a liberal commentator calls such laws hotbeds of dictatorship. READ MORE

MSZP hesitant over anti-terror constitutional amendment

Friday, January 15th, 2016

An independent conservative pundit cautions the left-wing opposition against boycotting the parliamentary debate over the planned amendment, because it would amount to letting down their voters. READ MORE

Details of large scale home subsidy plan announced

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015

A left-wing commentator fears that the government’s plan to offer a subsidy of 10 million forints for young families will entrench poverty. His conservative counterpart calls such fears outright ridiculous. READ MORE

St. Stephen’s Day ruminations

Wednesday, August 20th, 2014

Commentators from both right and left use the occasion of the national holiday to impose their political messages on St. Stephen’s historical contribution. READ MORE

Was the Tavares report authored by Hungarian Socialists?

Wednesday, October 9th, 2013

Magyar Nemzet accuses leading Socialist politicians of lying, when they deny their role in the preparation of the European Parliament resolution condemning the constitutional changes enacted by the right-wing government since 2010. READ MORE

Parliament rejects Tavares report

Saturday, July 6th, 2013

Liberal and left leaning commentators find PM Orbán’s indignation over the EP resolution unfounded and hypocritical, while a Christian Democrat portal suggests the European Right dislikes Mr Orbán because he reminds them of their own cowardice. A pro-government daily finds it ridiculous that a former minister of a Socialist government now poses as a Conservative MEP. READ MORE

Further echoes of the Strasbourg resolution

Friday, July 5th, 2013

A pro-government columnist maintains that the Tavares-report was accepted by a narrow margin, and suggests PM Orbán’s speech before the vote may have convinced many MEPs to abstain, rather than vote in favour. A former Hungarian centre-right MP writes in an opposition daily that Orbán is unfit to lead because he tolerates no compromise. READ MORE

Strasbourg, “a tiny victory for PM Orbán”

Friday, June 28th, 2013

A leading liberal expert describes the vote in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as “a victory for Orbán, albeit a tiny one”. READ MORE