Politics

The Hungarian government referendum billboard reads: Let's send a message to Brussels, so that they will understand." Photo: Nyugat.hu

Hungary is free to follow the British road and leave the European Union

Hungarians need to comprehend that their country cannot simply enjoy the financial and economic benefits of membership in the European Union–they must be willing to participate in joint projects and show solidarity in times of crisis, as the EU is not an a la carte menu–writes Remi Piet, assistant professor of public policy and international political economy at Qatar University. Yet the […]

by · September 24, 2016 · Politics
Slomó Köves

Slomó Köves – Hungary’s racist “Chabad Rabbi”

Slomó Köves is 37 years old and he claims to be a Rabbi. I’m not so sure. Recently he willingly joined Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s xenophobic Prime Minister while Orbán declared that no refugees can enter Hungary. “We don’t want them,” Mr. Orbán said, “We don’t want Muslim people in our country.” Mr. Orbán didn’t spare Hungarian taxpayer’s money when ordering […]

by · September 17, 2016 · Politics
The liberal Együtt (Together) party and two smaller partners produced a campaign poster featuring Hungarians sitting out the referendum and giving the government the finger. Literally.  Their slogan: "This is the answer to a stupid question. Those who stay at home, stay in Europe."

Hungary’s anti-migrant referendum — The most recent poll and what religious leaders are saying

We are entering the final stretch of Hungary’s anti-migrant referendum, scheduled for October 2nd. A new poll by Republikon suggests that 48% of the electorate is certain to cast a ballot, while an additional 23% say that they will likely vote. These polling results suggest that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will get exactly what he is looking for: a massive […]

by · September 16, 2016 · Politics
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. Photo: MTI / György Varga

Hungary’s foreign minister furious after demand for country’s expulsion from European Union

Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, was visiting Moldova Tuesday morning, when he commented on statements made by Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister, Jean Asselborn, who suggested that Hungary should be expelled or at least suspended from the European Union, for its rule of law violations and the poor treatment of refugees and migrants. Interestingly, Mr. Szijjártó used a line of attack just […]

by · September 13, 2016 · Politics
Hungary's territorial gains in World War II, as an ally of Nazi Germany.

Putin ponders border revision between Hungary and Romania

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised eyebrows among Romanians and raised hope among some Hungarian nationalists, by suggesting that reviewing the post World War II border between Hungary and Romania could be on the agenda, if people question Russia’s borders and territories. In June 1920, the Treaty of Trianon confirmed Hungary’s loss of Transylvania and its transfer to Romania. During the […]

by · September 5, 2016 · Politics
The Orbán regime's largest and most expensive PR exercise in Canada to date.

Hungarian Government Uses Cultural Festival in Montreal to Conceal Civil Rights Abuses at Home

Hungary’s government, criticized internationally for trampling on the civil liberties of its citizens and for attacking artists and civic groups that dare to criticize it is staging its largest and most expensive public relations campaign in Canada since the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries in the sixties. The million dollar PR extravaganza kicked off at the end […]

by · September 2, 2016 · Politics
György Budaházy receives a standing ovation in the Budapest Capital Regional Court on Tuesday from Jobbik supporters, right before his sentencing. Photo: Balázs Mohai / MTI.

Hungarian extremist sentenced to 13 years in prison for terrorism

A far-right extremist, whose group sadistically assaulted and nearly killed a media personality, bombed gay clubs in Budapest and attacked the homes of Socialist and liberal politicians using Molotov cocktails, received a 13-year prison sentence on Tuesday in the Budapest Capital Regional Court. Between 2007 and 2009, György Budaházy led a group of far-right terrorists, called the “Arrows of Hungarians” […]

by · August 30, 2016 · Politics
Viktor Orbán with Pope Francis. Photo: Facebook.

Viktor Orbán visits Pope Francis — And Fidesz supporters attack the Pontiff and George Soros

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán appears to have had an audience with Pope Francis  and the Hungarian leader–whose government has explicitly gone against the message of compassion that the Catholic pontiff has shared in regards to the refugee crisis–was quick to post a photo of his reported visit to Facebook. Fidesz does, after all, govern together with the Christian Democratic People’s […]

by · August 29, 2016 · Politics
Alexandra Dobolyi

Two more opposition politicians accept positions from Hungary’s Fidesz

A growing number of left-centre opposition politicians in Hungary are wrapping up their careers as advocates of parliamentary democracy and constitutionalism and are instead accepting positions from the government that they have long argued is an authoritarian, illiberal regime. The Orbán government has named Alexandra Dobolyi of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) Ambassador to Moldova. Minister of Foreign Affairs and […]

by · August 27, 2016 · Politics
The logo of the Hungarian Two-tailed Dog Party

Plans to sabotage Hungary’s anti-migrant referendum gain steam

It’s time to take the Hungarian Two-tailed Dog Party seriously, after they managed to raise more than 15 million forints ($56,000) in just one week to publicize their idea of sabotaging the Orbán government’s looming anti-migrant and anti-EU referendum. Known in Hungarian as the Magyar Kétfarkú Kutya Párt (MKKP), the party which started off as grassroots satire of Hungarian politics, officially registered […]

by · August 23, 2016 · Politics