Hungarian Politics

[The Brain]

Beetcause.

[Tamas]

What really happened in Hungary, Tamas? I mean, I can get the country as a whole falling under the right wing spell but usually there are some elites or urban areas where liberal left is more prominent. Why isn't it the case in Hungary?

Those demographics are resigned and have lost all hope. And a lot of them are abroad already.

I think, BTW, that this is the best EU feature for Orban: it is the educated, languages-speaking middle-class or aspiring to middle class people that would have the most issues with his reign. But they are free to use their talent in much better countries with more hope of succeeding and having a fulfilled life than they would ever have in Hungary in their lifetime, Orban or not.

If there was still an Iron Curtain I believe there would be much more unrest.

[Martinus]

Sadly, I am fearing this may be similar in Poland. Right now, ahead of the autumn elections, there is literally no left left (pun intended) in the polls - the total percentage of votes captured by all the splinters (including some bona fide new leftist parties with no ties to the commies, mind you) oscillates around 10%, with none of them having a chance to cross the 5% threshold to get into the Parliament (the threshold for "coalitions" i.e. joint lists of more than one party is 8%, but if they combined - even if they managed to despite egos of their leaders - they would probably lose votes because different parts of the left hate each other).

The most "leftist" force of those that can get into the Parliament is the ruling centre-right party (PO) that has about 20-25% of popular support (and obviously is a far cry from my ideal - and they are so arrogant towards leftist voters, essentially taking us for granted, that I would have to do a lot of soul searching before I am able to vote for them). PiS is polling in 30-35% area and the weird group of the ex-rockstar (who has really weird views and attracts a "big tent" coalition of neonazis, libertarians, gun nuts, racists and other assorted human refuse) has around the same level of support as PO (sometimes coming second and sometimes third in polls). These are, by the way, numbers among people who want to vote. About 30-40% of polled people do not know who to vote for.

[Martinus]

Incidentally, it just emerged that there are two groups in which PO and PIS, respectively, always win by a landslide.

For PO it is prison inmates (unlike some systems, Polish prisoners do not automatically lose voting rights) and for PiS it is psychiatric wards. 

Of course, each side is milking the other side's "success" for what it is worth. 

[Tamas]

Tamas Deutsch (we are NOT related), one of the old guard of Fidesz, currently member of the EU Parliament (yes, that useless), has been recently named acting  president of the Hungarian paralympics organisations, after the former president resigned following serious proofs on the utter waste of money he authorised (eg. spending a huge portion of the entire annual budget on one dinner party).

Well, Mr. Deutsch had an interview. In there he said that he is "not a supporter of equalisation" He believes that paralympics atheletes "shouldn't get the same cash rewards from the state as regular olympics athletes do" They should "only get 70% of that".

[The Brain]

Tamas Deutsch (we are NOT related), one of the old guard of Fidesz, currently member of the EU Parliament (yes, that useless), has been recently named acting  president of the Hungarian paralympics organisations, after the former president resigned following serious proofs on the utter waste of money he authorised (eg. spending a huge portion of the entire annual budget on one dinner party).

Well, Mr. Deutsch had an interview. In there he said that he is "not a supporter of equalisation" He believes that paralympics atheletes "shouldn't get the same cash rewards from the state as regular olympics athletes do" They should "only get 70% of that".

Surely that has to depend on the disability.

[Valmy]

PiS it is psychiatric wards. 

Well duh. Only the stupid or the crazy vote for them.

[Syt]

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150715/1024640810.html

Budapest Stands By Ukraine's Ethnic Hungarians

Hungarian agents in Ukraine are working hard to safeguard the interests of ethnic Hungarians living in the former Soviet republic, János Lázár, the chief of cabinet to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, told the MPs on Tuesday.

In his report to parliament on the work done by the country's intelligence services, János Lázár, who is responsible for civilian intelligence, cited the Ukrainian crisis as a primary example of radical changes to security in the region over the past year.

Hungary shares borders with a country engaged in an armed conflict, The Budapest Beacon reported.

According to Lázár, Hungarian spies have been active in Kiev, just like the spies of other regional neighbors, to ensure that political leaders are able to promote Hungary's interests.

He also stated that the government and the Information Office — the country's non-military intelligence gathering agency  — are convinced that the future of Hungarians living in the Transcarpathia (southwestern Ukraine) will be a serious issue in the coming decade, and that the Information Office is working to protect Hungarian citizens in the Carpathian Basin.

These operations are the first in twenty-five years in which the Hungarian government is openly undertaking activities in Ukraine in total opposition to the wishes of the Ukrainian government.

Ukraine's foreign ministry is doing what it can to stop Hungary's spies and Hungarian diplomats from undertaking operations in Ukraine, Lázár said.

Ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine's Transcarpathia account for about 12 percent of the region's population.

Speaking in parliament in May Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban said the "Hungarian community should enjoy dual citizenship and broad autonomy rights".

So, Tamas, are you ready to give your life to protect Hungarian blood once the szülőhaza calls you to arms?

[Tamas]

This didnt make the news in Hungary.
We are too busy with the migrant problem. One side treats them as undercover soldiers of an islamist conquering army (that's how Chair of Parliament referred to them), and in reply the other side treats them as reincarnations of Jesus Christ.

Its hillarity the way only we can deliver it.

[Tamas]

Latest news is that the government is going to close all brick and mortar refugee centers (these were places like old barracks and whatnot), and move everyone into tent camps away from cities.

[Tamas]

In one of the cities, one (or maybe two, cant remember) brave patriots noticed a half-black/half-brown (article wouldnt say) guy walking with his white girlfriend the other night.

Jumping to the rescue of the Motherland, they yelled at the guy, instructing him to return to his homeland. The girl stepped in front of them explaining that her BF was actually born in Hungary.

She looks like this after the patriots properly replied to her:

[Valmy]

Excellent work by the Hungarian authorities to inform good patriots the dire threat foreigners and Hungarians that look foreign pose to the homeland.

[Tamas]

Yesterday, Arpad Goncz, the first President of post-communist Hungary died. Possibly the only truly decent man in politics in the last 80 years or so.
You can read about him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81rp%C3%A1d_G%C3%B6ncz

The bulletpoints of his life:

Can't finish university because he is conscripted in 1944. His unit is taken to Germany, but he flees and back home joins the underground movement, saving Jews and helping the opposition in general.

He joins the Farmer's Party in 1946, the one which won the election and formed a (moderate right) government. The dismantling of the party by the communists force him out of politics, but he remains active in opposition.
In 1956 and 1957 he helps with activist work and is imprisoned for a few years.

Released from prison, he finally wants to finish univeristy just to learn that is forever closed from him.

He learned English in prison and makes a living as a translator until the late 80s. He translated a lot of complicated novels but his main work is Lord of the Rings.

In the late 80s he joins the liberal party, and in 1990 is elected (by the Parliament) as President.

He becomes immensely popular, and remains so through his second term as well.

I really liked him. He always remained true to his (liberal, modern democratic) convictions, fighting the Nazis, the Communists for them, and also fighting for them as President. As nominal commander in chief he prevented the government to use the army to disperse the huge Taxi Blockade of Budapest at the start of his term, and also prevented (or tried to prevent, rather) the hostile takeover of the public media by the government.

And above all he was always humble and friendly. That very rare kind of man, who is determined, strong, talented, yet seemingly devoid of any (publicly shown) arrogance or agressivity, and always having an aura of unassuming dignity.

I read a necroloug that truly captured the essence of why his death so upset me: He represented the Hungary That Could Have Been.

He had such a strong conviction and respect for a modern civic society, and democracy, that was not only his during the fall of communism, but got totally lost out of public figures and public discourse over the years.

He was the embodiment of the hope of building a society on mutual respect and dignity.  That hope died several years ago, but now the symbol of it died as well.

[KRonn]

  He had such a strong conviction and respect for a modern civic society, and democracy, that was not only his during the fall of communism, but got totally lost out of public figures and public discourse over the years.

He was the embodiment of the hope of building a society on mutual respect and dignity.  That hope died several years ago, but now the symbol of it died as well.

RIP 

Sounds like he was a good and unique individual.

[Malthus]

That's a great epitaph, Tamas.