Hungary

Hungary · Magyarország BY ERIK MASTALERZ

HUNGARY

Messages in the Media.

During 2019, Hungary the governing party of the European saw several significant Parliament, overwhelmingly voted to developments concersuspend the voting power of Fidesz, ning its internal politiOrbán’s ruling party in Hungry, This cs and social dynamics. came following years of questionable Hungarians went to the remarks and actions from Orbán and polls for two major elections, the Euhis party. Orbán and his Fidesz party ropean Parliamentary, and local mayofrequently insult the EPP and member ral elections. These revealed cracks in states or delegates. A recent string of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz control over the comments and political advertising, country, though he safely maintained particularly those targeting George his position as the dominant political Soros and, European Commission Preforce in Hungary. Due to this dominasident, Jean-Claude Junckertargeting tion by Fidesz, Hungary became the have been construed as anti-Semitic first European Union member to be and highly inappropriate. This infordemoted to the “partially free” classimation did little to sway Orbán’s vofication by Freedom House. During ting base as he was rewarded with an May, Viktor Orbán visited the United overwhelming, 36 point gap between States President Donald Trump in over the second-largest contender in Washington, who praised Orbán as the election six days later. Orbán took a respected man and a slightly more the result as a mandate to stop imcontroversial version of himself. Hunmigration across Europe and protect gary has also dealt with major social “Christian culture in Europe.” Theand cultural issues as they attempt to re was much talk over Fidesz leaving protect their Christian heritage from the EPP to align with Italy’s populist immigrants and leftist policies. Due to troublemaker Matteo Salvini though these developments, 2019 revealed pothis did not materialize, and Fidesz retential hope for liberalism and demomains suspended from the EPP. cracy, though the status-quo of social intolerance and the tightening grip of LOCAL ELECTIONS authoritarianism from the Orbán government remain dominant. Local elections followed those of T H E E U R O P E A N P A R L I A M E N T A R Y E L E C T I O N S the European Parliament on October 13th, 2019. The most interesting results came from the Mayoral elections, where opposition candidates won 10 of the 23 major Hungarian cities. Fi

The European Parliamentary elections in Hungary were held on May 26th, 2019, though the most significant story from the cycle hit before the largely predictable results. On May 20th, the European People’s Party (EPP), desz had largely unchallenged control over the last ten years, the biggest upset coming from István Tarlós’s loss of Budapest to Gergely Karácsony, a left- -leaning pro-European. István Tarlós lead in the polls and his party threatened to reduce funding the city should he lose his seat. Despite this, Fidesz lost the mayoral seat and power of the city council, giving Karácsony and the opposition a great deal of power over the capital. Karácsony vowed to work with other leaders within central Europe, such as Rafał Trzaskowski, Warsaw’s liberal mayor. Though still a small minority, unity between leaders from liberal enclaves is a strong step against populism in Europe. With new leaders, these hubs of education and economy will be beacons of hope for change and act as a thorn in the side of authoritarianism in the region.

Despite some electoral setbacks during 2019, Viktor Orbán was busy bolstering his international image and sharing his ideas with sympathetic leaders, most notably, Donald Trump. Orbán and Trump discussed Ukraine at a critical moment, ten days before Trump’s meeting with their new president Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine receives a great deal of aid from the United States, and discrepancies there became a key component of Trump’s impeachment inquiry. Influence from Vladimir Putin and Orbán, Ukranin skeptics, appear to have contributed to Trump’s animosity toward Ukraine. Orbán voiced his concerns over the oppression of a Hungarian minority in Ukraine, among other issues in his closed-door meeting with Trump. Should they continue to maintain their relationship, Trump could be a key allay in Orbán’s drive to curb immigration and protect Christian culture. F I G H T I N G IMMIGRATION

Fighting immigration and defending Christian culture were two of Orbán’s main campaign promises going into the parliamentary and local elections during 2019. Throughout the year, he has implemented policies along these lines as well as promoting ideas viewed as intolerant by most left of the center-right in Europe. The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights abuse claimed that Hungary’s government had created an atmosphere of fear, hatred, and xenophobia. Those sympathetic to the government claim that Europe’s immigration system has failed and are vehemently against the migrant quota system proposed by the European parliament. They support policy where asylum seekers can be resettled outside the European Union in a way that protects Christian culture from an invasion of migrants. In February, Orbán added a new policy to his aspirations of decreasing emigration and maintaining the Hungarian ethnic group. Income tax became waved for mothers of four or more children. Most of Europe has turned to immigration to replenish their decreasing populations, though Hungary is attempting to solve this problem internally, stemming from a xenophobic fear and a drive to defend their culture from impurity. YEAR IN REVIEW

2019 saw Hungary slip further into Orbán’s far-right control, as indicated by several international bodies. It remains a problem area within the European Union due to its fringe stances, especially on immigration and social issues. Fisdez remains suspended from the EPP and, along with several other central European countries, becoming more nationalist and authoritarian. Hungary’s international image was bolstered due to meetings and alliances with high profile leaders from Europe and the United States, showing viability for an authoritarian future. The European Parliamentary and local elections showed some resistance to Fisdez’s strong control over Hungarian political activity, though 2020 will reveal the viability of internal opposition and external pressure to make change.

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“Hungary.” Hungary Country Report, May 22, 2019. https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/hungary.

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