According to a Závecz Research poll conducted between May 7-14, 2017, the ruling Fidesz party has seen its support drop by 8% in Budapest and by 9% in larger rural towns. Meanwhile, the Jobbik party has seen its fortunes rise by 6% in these areas. All in all, a trend already detected by previous polls is continuing: Prime Minister Viktor […]
In the past 10 days, Hungary’s former Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány made two very significant and interconnected accusations against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the ruling Fidesz party. First, he claimed to have seen documents years ago that suggest Mr. Orbán’s cozy relationship with Moscow boils down to blackmail. More specifically, Mr. Gyurcsány charges that Prime Minister Orbán is […]
Years ago George Schöpflin applied for a position at the Central European University (CEU) and was rejected. He didn’t get the job, and now he is attacking CEU by claiming that the university is illegitimate because it issues American diplomas without “American academic oversight.” 77 year old George (György) Schöpflin is a confidante of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and […]
During one of many party forums in Budapest, where National Economy Minister Mihály Varga and National Defence Minister István Simicskó were tasked with explaining the dangers of “the Soros network,” under a screen that read “let’s stand up for Hungary” and an unflattering photo of George Soros, a journalist was assaulted by a local Fidesz politician. Júlia Halász of the […]
Isabelle Poupart, Canada’s ambassador to Hungary, issued what was perhaps the most unequivocal statement yet from the Government of Canada on the Orbán regime’s attacks against academic freedom and its on-going attempt to shut down Central European University. The Budapest regime’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, summoned Ambassador Poupart, asserting that the Canadian diplomat made “false accusations” and adding […]
Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) expressed its serious concerns about the state of democracy in Hungary in a comment provided to the Hungarian Free Press. The comment was made by Hélène Laverdière, the NDP’s Critic for Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for the riding of Laurier – Sainte-Marie. HFP asked Ms. Laverdière to comment on the many rule of […]
The European People’s Party, which is rapidly losing its remaining credibility, is getting a first-hand taste of how Prime Minister Viktor Orbán operates. After the EPP published a strongly worded statement Saturday morning, in which it claimed that the EPP presidium “asked Fidesz and the Hungarian authorities to take all necessary steps to comply with the Commission’s request” about amending […]
Hungary intends to adhere to every request made by the European Commission, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed on Saturday, in what was a reportedly heated, tense meeting with the European People’s Party, of which Fidesz is a member. The EPP had reportedly raised the possibility of suspending Fidesz membership in the conservative parliamentary group if Mr. Orbán does not amend […]
The Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) and Jobbik have both seen their support rise, while Fidesz dipped slightly in the newest Republikon poll. While the series of mass protests, the contentious anti-CEU legislation and Jobbik’s billboard campaign against Fidesz corruption have resulted in a modest boost in popular support for the two largest opposition parties, all of these events have had […]
The University of California at Berkeley held a panel discussion this week about the situation at the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest. The panel guests were István Rév, the Director the Open Society Archive at CEU, who is currently a visiting professor of History at UC Berkeley, and Gábor Klaniczay, a Professor of Medieval History at CEU. The moderator […]
