Hungary

The conference, which took place on the October 4th 2012 was organized by Védegylet (Protect the Future), the One Million for the Freedom of the Hungarian Press Movement (Milla) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. It had a double objective: to discuss problems of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe and to present a new project  on democratic renewal to the Hungarian public. 

Berlin-based Hungarian artist Artúr van Balen has travelled to Hungary to join the opposition protests in Budapest on the 23rd of October. With the help of around 15 artists and activists van Balen created the "Hungarian Orange", a 5 meter long, 3.5 meter high inflatable lemon, which they brought to the protests. But not everyone was amused by the playful object.

As expected, the 56th anniversary of the hungarian revolution occasioned a symbolic battle between the Prime Minister and his left-of-centre opposition, with both sides seeking to present themselves as the true heirs of 1956. Whereas Orbán and Fidesz clearly won the battle of numbers, the show was stolen by Gordon Bajnai, the former Prime Minister.

Ramil Safarov’s surprise extradition on 31 August 2012 and his immediate pardoning upon arrival to Baku has raised a few intriguing questions not only outside Hungary but inside the country. It shows that Hungary’s current government is prepared to go a long way – if necessary, against fundamental human rights – in order to secure its economic interests.

A chain of rapid and unprecedented changes in Hungary’s Higher Education Act have been adopted and implemented recently by the government of Viktor Orbán. The changes share the intention of centralising power and establishing supreme control over all levels of education.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has projected fifteen to twenty years of governance in a “central political space”, rather than the customary shifts of power between left and right. In the elections 2010, Fidesz had the support of roughly half of all voters, and during its first half-year the new government enjoyed strong public approval. But since then the political landscape has changed dramatically.

Despite international criticism of the undemocratic developments in Hungary, Bavarian Premier Horst Seehofer could not resist rolling out the red carpet for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during his visit to Munich in March 2012.

Hungary's former president Pal Schmitt's loyalty to Fidesz and Mr Orbán was so exaggerated that he wasn't taken seriously as an autonomous political figure. With János Áder Fidesz and Mr Orbán have chosen long-time party member, who is perceived as a more independent figure. But how autnonmous is the new president really? 

The EU is dependent on intact democracies in the member states - if the EU wants to be democratic it cannot be indifferent to its democratically constituted members. But what options are available for influencing Hungary? And who are the relevant actors for a democratic change in the country?

This article tries to explain the anti-establishment position of Hungary’s new democratic movements. Seen from this perspective, the present state of affairs and prospects for the future appear rather bleak – but not entirely devoid of hope.