After the first day of President Erdogan’s visit to Budapest, left-wing outlets complain about the absence of criticism of oppression in Turkey on the part of the government and remark that public demonstrations against the Turkish President have been feeble. READ MORE
A conservative commentator accuses the government of advancing Hungary’s Turkic ancestry out of geopolitical considerations. Another conservative historian dismisses the accusation, and welcomes the inclusion of the nomadic heritage in the Hungarian national identity. READ MORE
As Prime Minister Orbán calls for more trade with Turkey and political cooperation with Ankara, writers critical of the government and its supporters disagree on how Hungary can and should relate to an illiberal but geopolitically important state. READ MORE
A pro-government columnist interprets the success of the Turkish referendum as a sign that Turkey is turning away from Europe. A left-wing commentator thinks Erdogan is doomed to fail because he has divided his country. READ MORE
Commenting on Hungarian official statements on Turkey, a left-wing columnist thinks that there is little leeway for Hungary to pursue its own strategic interests in the complex geopolitical situation of the Middle East. READ MORE
Commentators disagree on whether Turkish-Russian diplomatic rapprochement is to be judged as a worrisome development by Europe. READ MORE
Commentators are convinced that after foiling the coup, President Erdogan will consolidate his rule still further. At the same time they dismiss conspiracy theories about him being the real mastermind behind the attempted takeover. READ MORE
Two columnists point out that Hungary may have to pay stellar penalties for rejecting compulsory migrant relocation quotas, if the European Commission gets its way in the European Parliament and the European Council. READ MORE
Two conservative commentators criticize the EU for abandoning its core principles and trusting its security to Turkey. A left-wing columnist, on the other hand, hopes that the lifting of the Turkish visa requirement will strengthen democrats in Turkey without compromising the EU’s security. READ MORE
Commentators fear that the deal struck at the European summit with Turkey will be hard to implement in practice and might provoke risky consequences. READ MORE