In his analysis of the left-wing reception of former president László Sólyom’s recent criticism of government policies, a Marxist philosopher calls his fellow left-wingers intolerant, while a conservative columnist admits that the right-wing press is silent because it would find it difficult to challenge Mr Sólyom’s verdict. READ MORE
Hungary should not feel relieved if European criticism is now directed against neighbouring Romania. A pro-government commentator fears that as a result, the whole of Eastern and Central Europe risks losing face. READ MORE
A right-wing columnist believes that Hungarians in Romania played a decisive role in Sunday’s failed referendum, which intended to remove President Basescu from office. A left-wing pundit, on the other hand, believes that the active involvement of the Hungarian government in the campaign will weaken the Hungarian minority in Romania. READ MORE
Commentators across the political spectrum ponder possible parallels between the practices of the prime ministers of Hungary and Romania. Those on the left think that although Ponta follows a recipe devised by Orbán, the Romanian PM has not initiated a fully-fledged offensive against democratic institutions. Right-wing pundits, on the other hand, note that Orbán became PM in democratic elections and his government complies with democratic norms – neither of which applies to his Romanian counterpart. READ MORE
A commentator on the right finds the idea of a new Socialist policy targeting national minorities a campaign lie, and asks why the European left voted against a motion to examine Romanian Socialist Prime Minister Victor Ponta’s policies. READ MORE
Observers draw gloomy conclusions from the arrest and attempted suicide of the former left-wing Romanian prime minister. READ MORE
A right wing journalist believes the Romanian elections turned out much as expected: voters punished the former governing coalition for going along with the dictates of the IMF. A left wing daily, on the other hand, publishes a commentary with the title “RMDSZ-Fidesz 3:0”, suggesting that the engagement of Fidesz on behalf of two small ethnic Hungarian parties backfired. READ MORE
Népszabadság accuses Fidesz of trying to draw ethnic Hungarians in Romania under its own political control. Magyar Hírlap rejects Romanian charges of Hungarian interference in the local election campaign in Transylvania. READ MORE
Commentators across the political spectrum find the Hungarian-Romanian diplomatic incident over writer József Nyirő’s reburial sad but absurd. Right-wing commentators claim that Nyirő was not a National Socialist radical and blame the Romanian government and left-leaning Romanian Hungarians for the conflict. Left-wing columnists suggest that the Hungarian government has exacerbated tensions by commemorating a Fascist writer. READ MORE
Hungary will not follow in Romania’s footsteps– writes the number one Hungarian right wing daily after the departure of the Romanian PM. READ MORE