In most countries, it would be difficult to imagine a 22 year old who has yet to complete a university education and having no relevant professional experience being appointed Deputy Minister of State. Hungary, it would appear, is the land of such possibilities, provided one is a demonstrably faithful to Fidesz, the ruling party. This week, we learned that Katalin Novak, Minister of State for Family, Youth and International Affairs, appointed 22 year old Zsófia Rácz to become Hungary’s new Deputy Minister of State for Youth and Equal Opportunity. Ms. Rácz replaces Boglárka Illés, who left this position in order to lead Fidelitas, the ruling party’s youth wing.
Left: Ms. Novák. Right: Ms. Rácz.
Not much is known about Ms. Rácz, except that she is a law student and previously served as Hungary’s youth delegate to the United Nations. She also spent six months on a scholarship in Washington DC and worked with the Center for Fundamental Rights (Alapjogokért Központ). The Center is known for its close ties to the ruling party. The following is at the heart of the Center’s mandate:
“The Center considers preserving national identity, sovereignty and Christian social traditions as its mission, especially amongst the 21st century’s heightened process of globalization, integration, geopolitical and technological changes, affecting the field of law as well. Besides these, it is a well-known aim of the Center to form a counter against today’s overgrown human rights-fundamentalism and political correctness that have been affecting numerous aspects of our everyday life.”
Our readers may not be at fault for raising an eyebrow about the fact that an employee of a centre that speaks of “overgrown human rights fundamentalism” has now become a junior minister in charge of equal opportunity.
The Center also has strong views on homosexuality. On its Facebook page, the Center shared an article from Fidesz tabloid Origo about a church in Sweden which unveiled an LGBTQ-inclusive altarpiece on the occasion of Advent. St. Paul’s Church unveiled the work of Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin and noted: “We are grateful to Elisabeth’s artistry, which enables us to build a credible church that shows that we all, regardless of who we love and identify as, are accommodated in Paradise.”
The “research center” offered the following analysis when it shared this news item: “Sweden is not a country. It is a symptom.” One comment from a supporter of the Center read: “To be 100% Swedish is an illness.” Another supporter of the Center exclaimed: “psychopathic animals!” Yet another comment offered the following conspiracy theory: “This is not about the Swedes. Over there, the murder of society is simply in a more advanced phase, and this process is being spread by those who push international capital, so that there may be no obstacle to them obtaining living space and to promoting globalization.”
It isn’t a new phenomenon that junior ministers are sometimes political appointees. But in the past, a little more care was placed on at least creating the impression that the appointee had relevant professional experience or at least was not hostile to the new portfolio, which in this case is effectively human rights and the rights of vulnerable demographics. It would appear that in this instance, political loyalty and involvement as a de facto political operative were the only considerations.
The appointment of an amateur wannabee to such a high position is a good indication of the kind of banana republic Hungary has become under Viktor Orbán. Ms Rácz is a “party girl” rather than the voice of women whose struggle for equality under Orbán’s neo-fascist patriarchy is under continuous assault. She and Ivanka Trump in rubber boots would make for a good poster with ambassador Cornstein in the middle, stuffing hurka down at the troll farm run by Hungary’s propaganda Czar, Zoltán Kovács. 🙂 Anything Trump can do you can do better Mr. Orbán ? Grab’em by the pussy, huh, Mr. Orbán ?
As usual, agreeing with Prof Göllner. This is just showing that this dictatorship has no limit of shamelessness, and even rubs it in. I have always difficulty to understand, how the Fidesz faithfuls can swallow these continuous attacks against mentality and morality?
…it is logical to bring into government capable young people so that they will be able to replace the generation leaving the office….
…..no leftist socialists have a place in the government, they had many chances in the past and they ruined the country…..
Some valid points, but overall author looks to impose values of its own culture on others. I would argue that any culture on this planet has the right to reject those values and adopt its own. Especially since the dominant Western Progressive values are not blemish free. Human rights can be measured in different ways. I like to measure it based on outcome and results, not so much based on ideological purity.
In England, a mostly Muslim grooming gang managed to abuse 1,400, mostly underage white girls for many years, even though authorities knew about it, and many of the girls reached out for help. Reason why it happened? Authorities were afraid that they may be accused of racism if they acted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_child_sexual_exploitation_scandal
So where are their human rights?
Did German authorities and media work in good faith to protect the human rights of the 1,200 women that were raped or molested in a single night, when for five days they pretended that nothing happened? Were they not supposed to go after the thousands of criminals from the first hours after the events happened? Of course, they could not, while they pretended for days that nothing happened! Of the thousands who committed that mass-assault against women, how many went on to perhaps commit other assaults, on a small scale, which did not make the news at all? And what of those victims? Where their rights ensured?
Human rights is often described as protecting minority groups. I invite author to take a trip to Malmo Sweden, put on a kippah, look at his watch, then see how long it would take walking around through a typical neighborhood before he gets physically assaulted. Perhaps then he can contemplate to what extent this great ideological experiment has led to protection of the remaining Jewish minority throughout Western Europe.
Oh, but author lives in Canada, the perfect multikulti and human rights example. An acquaintance in US recently told me she applied for a position in her home town in Canada, for a job in a highly specialized field, because she wants to be by her family. Another position might not open up for years, or even decades. She has eight years of working experience in the field, yet she was overlooked in favor of another woman, which is not even done with her schooling yet, but she happens to be a visible minority. Cannot in any way justify it, given that work experience is very important in her field, except for affirmative action having kicked in, which basically legally discriminates against white people. There is another acquaintance I know in the US, who experienced such discrimination on a few occasions in Canada, after which he moved to the US, basically a refugee from discrimination. Where are their human rights?
Hungary may not measure up ideologically to the norms that author feels that all should adhere to. Given the social disaster that Western society has become, I think it is entitled to stray and find its own path.
„… Besides these, it is a well-known aim of the Center to form a counter against today’s overgrown human rights-fundamentalism and political correctness that have been affecting numerous aspects of our everyday life. …“
Buzzwords like this human rights-fundamentalism or political correctness are pure propaganda. Why don’t they delete the word human then it also fits with the homeland.
mmburka
“they (the socialists) ruined the country”
mmbirka!! Let me help you out of your ignorance. They were not socialists.
You’re ruining the chances of rational discourse in this underpass with your ill informed posts.