Hungarian Politics

[HVC]

How long has orban been in power? I guess term limits aren't a thing in Hungary?

Are there any parliamentary-style democracies with term limits? 

That's a very good point and I feel dumb now lol

[Syt]

How long has orban been in power? I guess term limits aren't a thing in Hungary?

Are there any parliamentary-style democracies with term limits? 

In Germany and Austria presidents are limited to two terms. Of course their role is mostly ceremonial.

Though over the last years we can count ourselves lucky that van der Bellen narrowly won in Austria over FPÖ candidate Hofer who had gone into the campaign heavily implying he would use any tools at his disposal for his party's political gain; technically the President is neutral and is supposed to be above party affiliations. Hofer had been countering against this, and when pointing out how relatively few powers the president has, he replied, "You will surprised about what all will be possible." 

Better not to think about how things might have gone differently in the wake of Ibiza and later with the ÖVP corruption affairs.

[Sheilbh]

How long has orban been in power? I guess term limits aren't a thing in Hungary?

Are there any parliamentary-style democracies with term limits? 

Not that I'm aware of - maybe some places have term limits on legislators which could have that effect?

[celedhring]

Orbán has been in Spain today, in an European populist right cult meeting event. The main topic was the Russian situation, which Orbán tried to avoid when asked.

Anyway, they all signed a document that essentially says that the best way to face threats like Russia (the document does mention them) is to dismantle EU foreign policy and have each state look for its own interests. Sure, that will do the trick.

[Sheilbh]

Also going to be CPAC in March (the first outside the US I think) with loads of American conservative figures - but I think some of the Euro-far right are invited too. I think Trump is going to go and possibly campaign for Orban too.

It's all rather weird - and striking that it's arguably the most trans-national political movement in Europe/the world.

[Jacob]

Yeah "idiots and grifters leaning into nationalism and social regression and know-nothing deliberate idiocy while taking money from Putin" is the premiere trans-national political movement of the decade.

Just fantastic.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah "idiots and grifters leaning into nationalism and social regression and know-nothing deliberate idiocy while taking money from Putin" is the premiere trans-national political movement of the decade.

Just fantastic.

I think there's still a little bit of a taboo on campaigning or even too vocally supporting someone from their political "family" just in case they lose. Arguably it's an important next step in the development of a European politics - I remember talk of Merkel and Sarko campaigning together but I don't think it ever happened. I wouldn't be surprised if Macron breaks the taboo in his second term by campaigning with parties aligned with his group.

If you're outside the mainstream traditions it's relatively easy - whether on the far-right or left. The right just seems to talk to each other more and try to learn lessons from each other more - there's more structure. But then, money helps. Varoufakis will campaign anywhere in Europe - I think Melenchon and Corbyn did events with each other and I feel he did something with Podemos too, much to the annoyance of people in Labour who pointed out that their sister parties were the PS and PSOE

[The Larch]

I don't think that Corbyn ever did anything with Podemos. Podemos did lots of stuff with Syriza and Tsipras, though, and for a long time it was their main referent.

[Sheilbh]

I don't think that Corbyn ever did anything with Podemos. Podemos did lots of stuff with Syriza and Tsipras, though, and for a long time it was their main referent.

No you're right - Corbyn was endorsed by Iglesias in his leadership campaign but I don't think they ever did anything together (but he did with Varoufakis, Die Linke and Melenchon).

[The Larch]

Well, I really doubt that Iglesias tweeting something in Corbyn's support did anything for European politics at large. 

[Sheilbh]

Well, I really doubt that Iglesias tweeting something in Corbyn's support did anything for European politics at large. 

I don't think it does, but I don't Salvini and Abascal and Orban doing joint events does either. I think it's more a sign of something than a cause.

Although Corbyn made stuff of it - it was a leadership election of people on the left who are interested enough in politics to join a political party, so support from people like Varoufakis and Iglesias registers with that electorate.

[Tamas]

I guess Hungary just had a landmark court ruling in a case. Or at least, I cannot remember a previous instance where the judge in his explanation of their verdict (don't know the legal term, sorry) quoted a an interview statement from Orban as one of the justifications.

The case was about a story book for children published by a lesbian NGO I never heard of previously. It is a book containing stories intended for small children covering topics of diversity, acceptance, domestic abuse. When it got published (in 2020 I think) it immediately became a far-right target. This particular lawsuit was about one of the pro-government newspapers (to be fair there is maybe one which isn't pro-government at this stage) labelling the book as pedophile propaganda and the NGO as a pedophile organisation. The NGO sued them and on the first trial the newspaper was ordered to pay damages but on the next level where the case was sent to, the judge destroyed that verdict, and essentially agreed with the newspaper.

One of the reasons he cited for the decision was that Orban said (in a radio interview not long ago) that there are possible connections between homosexuality and pedophilia.

[Tamas]

So the price gap on car fuel is working out well. Not.

Over a 100 independent gas stations are known to have closed down over it (they are banned from keeping just their shop open with the forecourt closed), in some more remote parts of the country people are without gas stations within reasonable distances.

But the government is on top of it and declared that if they have to, they will force necessary gas stations to remain open. They have also extended the price gap period to May, putting the end of it in safe distance of the April elections.

[Sheilbh]

Er....Tamas. I know there's an election in Hungary in a couple of weeks.

Via someone online - is there any reason that there's been no opinion polls in the last three weeks:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2022_Hungarian_parliamentary_election

Because it feels like some things have been happening in and around Hungary since 26 February that seem important and maybe relevant to an election

[Jacob]

How suborned is the Hungarian election process? Is Orban guaranteed to win even if most people don't vote for him? Or does the opposition have an actual chance?