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 […]
The Victims of Communism memorial, a monument initially spearheaded by Canada’s previous conservative government and a community group of Canadians of Eastern European and Asian origins called Tribute to Liberty, will proceed after the selection of a design by architect Paul Raff. The Toronto-based architect’s central design element is a massive arch, running from east to west, and comprised of […]
On 10 April, Hungarian President János Áder signed into law an amendment to the National Higher Education Law that would outlaw the Central European University (CEU). Although portrayed by the government as a purely administrative step, the “Lex-CEU” law is a strident attempt to curtail academic freedom and limit the independence of academic institutions. Accredited in both the United States […]
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 […]
While racism and anti-Semitism are not uncommon in European Union (EU) countries, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is the only one who brought anti-Semitism into a ruling party. Ruling party Fidesz politicians in Hungary frequently make anti-Semitic remarks in Hungarian, never in English. And the doubletalk has served Orbán well. His party has attracted a fair share of the country’s […]
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 Trump campaign’s pro-Russian friends who live in the hills, overlooking the Budapest Bridge Epilogue and Postscript By András B. Göllner „All along the watchtower, princes kept the view, while all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too. Outside, in the distance, a wildcat did growl. Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.” –Nobel laurate, Bob Dylan […]
