Hungarian Politics

[Valmy]

Hungary is the second biggest net beneficiary of the EU, after Poland.

OH BUT BRUSSELLS IS RUINING US!!!11

[Admiral Yi]

I wonder which countries he thinks will be net benificiaries when Hungary graduates.

[Sheilbh]

It feels like the Leave Campaign, except that these sods won't leave 

I think it's the great example of Orban for others across Europe - you can be pretty racist and authoritarian while still getting EU money and not actually having to go through any difficulty of leaving. And we'll wait for details but last I heard the Commission were close to signing off a deal on rule of law that would unlock funds for Hungary - much to the fury of the European Parliament who worry that it basically neuters the rule of law mechanism on its first go.

And, frankly, if you keep your head down, it won't even get noticed. In terms of media freedom the worst country in the EU (according to Reporters Without Borders) is Greece, not Hungary, and they've fallen fast. Civil society groups are trying to raise the alarm on lots of other issues too. But the Greek government play along. They're helpful with Frontex, they're not causing problems in the Eurozone and they're not positioning themselves as troublemakers.

[Valmy]

Wait how can Greece possibly be worse?

[celedhring]

Hungary is the second biggest net beneficiary of the EU, after Poland.

And it's the third largest per capita beneficiary (only Lithuania and Luxemburg lag behind), they would need to leapfrog  15 other countries before they become a net contributor.

[celedhring]

Wait how can Greece possibly be worse?

Just checked and The Economist democracy index puts them at 7.56. This is low compared to Western Europe but high when compared to Eastern Europe/Balkans (Hungary is at 6.5, Poland 6.8), and it's been trending upwards for the past few years.

Funny how their democracy score totally tanked during the troika years. Who whould have thought!

[Tamas]

last I heard the Commission were close to signing off a deal on rule of law that would unlock funds for Hungary - much to the fury of the European Parliament who worry that it basically neuters the rule of law mechanism on its first go.

Yeah I mentioned here earlier that the "solutions" offered by Hungary are ridiculous fig-leaves. If/when the Commission signs off on them, it will be like when Escobar agreed to go into jail - of his own making.

[Jacob]

I have no ill will towards the people of Hungary, but if they want to be a Russian dependency I think we should let them.

[Valmy]

I have no ill will towards the people of Hungary, but if they want to be a Russian dependency I think we should let them.

They don't though. This is all bullshit designed to generate fear and hatred of foreigners to preserve Orban in power.

But eventually people come to believe their own bullshit, So yeah, if they want to leave the EU the EU should fall over itself trying to help them leave. They are nothing but an incredible net negative in every respect.

[The Brain]

The only problem with Hungary is that it's in the EU. If they want to be Belarus then that would be fine in itself, but as an EU member it's not great.

[Valmy]

The only problem with Hungary is that it's in the EU.

Yes. If they weren't they would not be of any concern at all.

[Tamas]

Orban avoided doing his annual big 1956 Revolution memorial day rally and speech today and attendes some related very minor non-event instead.

There, he deducted that we were just about winning 1956 when the West "betrayed us for the second time since 1945" and thus we lost.

Good to know who the REAL evils of the 1945 and 1956 stories were.

[HVC]

Any habsburgs still around? They did a pretty decent job of keeping the Hungarians in line last time around. 

[Valmy]

Orban avoided doing his annual big 1956 Revolution memorial day rally and speech today and attendes some related very minor non-event instead.

There, he deducted that we were just about winning 1956 when the West "betrayed us for the second time since 1945" and thus we lost.

Good to know who the REAL evils of the 1945 and 1956 stories were.

How did we betray them either time? Did we guarantee them something in either year? Last I checked Hungary has only been our ally since 2004. What exactly did Hungary do for the West to justify this loyalty we were supposed to show them? Last I checked they spent the entire inter-war period being revisionist and anti-Western.

[Valmy]

Any habsburgs still around? They did a pretty decent job of keeping the Hungarians in line last time around. 

Yeah so in 1921 the Habsburgs entered Budapest and tried to take the throne back but his monarchist regent told him to shove off. Kind of funny really. Turns out being an authoritarian monarchist is more fun without a monarch to get in the way.

Though to be fair to Horthy all of Hungary's neighbors threatened war if they let Charles back on the throne. So there is that.