While the rest of Europe watched with horror as Alexander Lukashenko unleashed unprecedented terror on its own people, the Hungarian government helped him to stabilize his power.
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This blog provides you English news updates, articles, and videos about rising authoritarian rule in Hungary.
How the Ruling Party Keeps a Firm Grip on Power in Hungary
Why do so many Hungarians keep voting for the ruling party, Fidesz? Political analysts have been trying to find the answer to this question for several years. There are multiple explanations, some of them are supplementary, others are contradictory to each other.
Index’s Freedom Fight Comes to an End. What’s Next? The Top Hungarian News Site Broadcasts Its Independence Struggle
Most of the editorial staff at Hungary’s largest online news site resigned today, after a decade-long struggle for the company’s independence. The way pro-government interests co-opted the company, slowly, and then all at once, is a textbook example of the way Fidesz has built its media empire over the years. The way the editorial staff stood their ground, and broadcast this struggle, is an important commentary on independent journalism and democratic backsliding. The question is: are Hungarians ready to pay to help them start over?
China Funds a Trip to Autocracy in Europe What happens when two authoritarian regimes partner to build railways in Europe?
China needed to pass through Europe. Hungary needed to bypass it. Here is the story of the Hungarian-Chinese partnership to renovate the Budapest-Belgrade railway route.
How to Become a Hungarian Millionaire in Just a Few Weeks Using Public Procurement The Story of a Soccer Player Who Quit the Game and Immediately Won USD 25 Million in Public Funding for Hotel Renovation
A soccer player made USD 25 million when he applied to a public tender without any experience. Here is how he did it. He was in the right place, at the right time – and knew the right people.
Hungary’s Campaign to Centralize Power in the Crisis: the Details
Faced with a dire economic outlook, the Orbán government undermined those best positioned to help — municipal governments.
Authoritarians Unite: How Orban and Lukashenko Partnered Up in the Crisis
A meeting of two authoritarian leaders serves to demonstrate their joint defiance against external criticism while both leaders launch a renewed crackdown on their oppositions.
Hungary Pilots Special Economic Zones and a New Strategy to Weaken Orban’s Opposition
Nervous for a Samsung investment, the Orban administration used the COVID-19 pandemic to pass a decree and strip an opposition-led town of power and taxes.
Hungarian PM Orbán’s Friend Wins Big During the COVID-19 Crisis
Corruption risks in Hungarian procurement reached their highest level since 2005 during the COVID-19 crisis, according to a new report published by the Corruption Research Centre Budapest (CRCB). The big winner is Prime Minister Orbán’s straw man.
A Guide to Orbán’s Power Grab Policies Why The Rest of the World Should Watch Hungary Right Now
On March 31, the Hungarian parliament voted to grant extraordinary emergency powers to its government, enabling the Orbán administration to rule by decree, and to jail anyone accused of distorting the truth for up to five years. The law passed without a sunset clause — it will remain in effect until the end of the pandemic, which will be up to the government to decide. With this, Hungary became the first country where a government used the pandemic as an excuse to infinitely expand its powers. The specifics of how these powers are used are important, because Hungary has been a testing lab for post-truth authoritarian regimes for years. Here is a review of what happened since then.
