Articles by: Hungarian Free Press

Lilla Szelenyi was defeated in the primary for Superior Court Judge of Alameda County

Lilla Szelenyi was defeated in the primary for Superior Court Judge of Alameda County

Ms. Elena Condes and Mr. Mark Fickes defeated Lilla Szelenyi in the primary for Superior Court Judge of Alameda County on March 3, 2020. Ms.  Lilla Julia Szelenyi is a 56-year-old lawyer who works as a Workers Compensation Judge in Oakland, California.  She is the daughter of Professor Iván Szelényi, a Hungarian Sociologist whose works criticized the Communist Kádár regime. He was […]

by · June 20, 2020 · Diaspora
Invitation: The Forgotten Revolution — the 1919 Hungarian Republic of Councils

Invitation: The Forgotten Revolution — the 1919 Hungarian Republic of Councils

The Hungarian Free Press is excited and honoured to be a partner of a special live online discussion on a new book published by Montreal’s Black Rose Books, namely The Forgotten Revolution — the 1919 Hungarian Republic of Councils. The book’s editor is HFP contributor András Göllner. HFP’s founding editor, Christopher Adam, contributed a chapter to this volume. For more information […]

by · June 13, 2020 · Culture
US Ambassador Cornstein supports the right to demonstrate

US Ambassador Cornstein supports the right to demonstrate

Large crowd demonstrated against racism and police brutality in Liberty Square (Szabadság tér) in front of the US Embassy in Budapest on Sunday.  Participants declared support for the Black Lives Matter movement and pledged “to stand together in solidarity with all victims of racism globally, for justice and unity, for systemic radical positive change.” David Cornstein, US Ambassador to Budapest issued […]

by · June 9, 2020 · Politics
Evelyn Farkas with Secretary Clinton at the Memorial Day Parade

Memorial Day message from Evelyn Farkas

I hope this message finds you safe and well on this Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a day of reflection and remembrance for those who have given their lives for our nation. Today, I think of those who fought to defend freedom across the generations, especially in World War II. On the frontlines across Europe and the Pacific, over 400,000 […]

by · May 25, 2020 · Diaspora
Waiting for the opposition

Waiting for the opposition

In recent months, the air has become cleaner, the home office has operated, gardening has become a fashion, home cooking and slow food have regained its charm, and musicians have started composing hilarious Trianon songs. But Hungarian politics, like some dirty, smeared river, reached another chasm, its vortex accelerated. Viktor Orbán authorized the parliament to authorize Viktor Orbán with a […]

by · May 20, 2020 · Focus
You Rang, M’lord?

You Rang, M’lord?

“To fall with my corpse: it is the servant’s business.”  (Endre Ady) Who seriously thinks today that power and fairness are compatible? How many in our country share the saying attributed to Lincoln: „If you want to test a man’s character, give him power” What became of those who were given power in their hands? Regimes based on unlimited personalist […]

by · May 16, 2020 · Focus
Viktor Orbán and Donald Tusk (left) - tense relations.

Tusk calls Orbán a Nazi, Sikorski calls him a loser – gloves are off

Oh boy!  This kind of mano-a-mano fistfight is rarely seen even in the murky and often tumultuous politics of Central Europe. Donald Tusk ex-Prime Minister of Poland is the current Chairman of European People’s Party (EPP). Tusk in an interview to Der Spiegel called Orbán the follower of Nazi philosopher, Carl Schmitt.   He said “We have seen many times in […]

by · April 26, 2020 · Politics
Secretary of State Pompeo refers to Orbán as a “bad actor” and a danger to democracy

Secretary of State Pompeo refers to Orbán as a “bad actor” and a danger to democracy

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo’s Remarks to the Press (from the official transcript) 04/07/2020 02:34 PM ED Washington, D.C. QUESTION:  How concerned are you about leaders using coronavirus to weaken democracies in their countries?  There is this specific example of Hungary, which the State Department has commented on.  Are you seeing that elsewhere, and what tools does the U.S. Government have […]

by · April 19, 2020 · Politics
Photo: dailynewshungary.com

Hungarian Rhapsody 2020 – Open Letter Campaign

In early April 2020, three civil societies released an Open Letter to the European Commission in response to Hungary’s so called Authorisation Laws adopted under the disguise of the government’s handling of the COVID pandemic. The letter is intended to express the frustration of 51% of Hungarian voters who in 2018 did not authorize Viktor Orban to continue to hold […]

by · April 16, 2020 · Politics
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger’s statement on the situation in Hungary.

The Hungarian Parliament recently passed the Enabling Act to extend the Prime Minister’s power.  Viktor Orbán is using the coronavirus crisis to grab nearly unlimited power for an indefinite period. The Enabling Act brings up painful memories in Germany.  In 1933 the German Reichstag (Diet) passed a similar Enabling Act (Ermächtigungsgesetz) which enabled Hitler’s government to issue decrees independently of the […]

by · April 2, 2020 · Politics