Hungarian Politics

[crazy canuck]

Finally the true fans of van gogh are free to come out and be themselves

 

[Tamas]

Not sure if I mentioned it before but apparently this has been made into law in June: any member of the armed forces aged 55 or over can be ordered to work in any of the education districts (i.e. one of the state schools) where the educational district cannot deny them taking up the ordered role and must ensure that they receive fast-tracked training to able to perform it.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior (which rules over the police, education, healthcare, among other things, not internal secret services though, those belong to the Minister of the Prime Minister's Office) is making actual teachers' job even harder, in ever-increasing rounds of punishment for the (actually quite very limited) teacher's strikes and demonstrations earlier. This time introducing more mandatory training, and restricting teacher's use of mobile phones on school premises

[Tamas]

Hungarian foreign minister on official visit to Bahrein:

[Norgy]

A man of the people! 
Got to soak up that vitamin D when possible.

We visited Budapest just before the local and EU elections, and I liked the city. A river cruise on Danube, being overwhelmed by cheering Chinese because Xi was visting Buda castle just at the same time I decided to make the climb up there.
One thing I noticed, was the tourist board ads at the airport. "Hungary is a family-friendly country" with a typical straight couple and some kids. That was the most ominous.

[Tamas]

Yeah, family-friendly, with collapsing demographics after 14 years of rule.

Speaking of their successes there is such trust in their rule of the economy that they are struggling to increase consumption despite what data claims are growing real wages and savings.

They are even considering allowing or even incentivising the early unlocking of long-term savings (such as private pension funds) for the purpose of buying properties. That's going to end well. Hungary has seen insane property price hikes in recent years like most other countries. People burning their pension savings to keep that fire burning will... not end well. Then again that's not Orban's problem, his human wallet, and his son-in-law (not to mention other oligarchs) now "own" staggering sizes of wealth.

[Jacob]

What is the popular explanation for the drastic increase in property prices in Hungary?

[Tamas]

Just a couple of gifs I came across showing the relationship between Putin and Orban, one from many years ago the other fairly recent:

[Valmy]

What is the popular explanation for the drastic increase in property prices in Hungary?

Yeah. What is the point of demographic collapse if you cannot even get cheap housing out of the deal?

[Tamas]

Sorry Jacob missed the question. I am not sure if there exist one. There was a lot of demand-side intervention over the past decades, plus inflation in general.

For the latter I was just thinking, when I left the country 11 years ago I was earning twice the national average, now that same salary would be barely above the national average and definitely would be considered a meagre income for a white collar worker.

[Tamas]

Anniversary of 1956 today, used to be a huge deal national celebration, including 2006 when (I am fairly convinced) Orban had the rioting football hooligans draw the riot police into the big Fidesz gathering, creating the creation myth of their perpetual persecution complex.

Nowadays it's a difficult topic for them, I guess.

There was a mini-scandal where one of Orban's chief advisors (also an Orban, but no relation) explained in his podcast that Hungarians have learned from 1956 and would have not done what Zelensky did (ie. resist the Russian invasion) since it's a lot of destruction for no benefit.

He was mildly scolded by King Orban but has been kept in his post.

[Valmy]

There was a mini-scandal where one of Orban's chief advisors (also an Orban, but no relation) explained in his podcast that Hungarians have learned from 1956 and would have not done what Zelensky did (ie. resist the Russian invasion) since it's a lot of destruction for no benefit.

Did they learn from 1849? 1526? The big take away is just surrender immediately whenever attacked?

Granted they pre-emptively surrendered in WWII and still lost.

[Sheilbh]

It's the thing I find most baffling about Orban's success - and same goes for Fico in Slovakia.

I can only admire the consistency of the Poles who, even if they're illiberal soft authoritarians still oppose Russia. There the main difference seems to be whether they also pick fights with Germany

[Tamas]

Orban has either started to believe his own propaganda of being a leader of global significance, or is being used by Putin to personally coordinate allies and assets. He rushed out not only to meet the Austrian nazi who won the election, but also rushed to Georgia to meet the pro-Russia "winner" there.

[Syt]

One of the first things the new FPÖ head of Austrian parliament did (besides giving an interview to a guy from the Identitarians) is invite Orban to parliament (Orban is in Vienna to speak on a panel together with Gerhard Schröder ).

EDIT: Correction - Orban is not invited to parliament, but to a personal meeting with the parliament chair.

[Tamas]