On the Mandiner website, Milán Constantinovits agrees with an alt-left analyst who dismissed as unacceptable earlier disparaging remarks by theatre critic Judit Csáki on rural Fidesz voters, especially the Roma whom she described before the last elections as completely ignorant.

That analyst, 444’s Márk Herczeg wrote that the liberal critic helped Fidesz win two thirds of the seats in Parliament in 2022. Constantinovits admits that right-wing commentators also make overly harsh and sometimes even vulgar remarks, but those of Csáki offended masses of people, not just a few.

Nevertheless, it is not her views alone, but the whole haughty liberal attitude of urban intellectuals left behind by the defunct Alliance of Free Democrats that alienates much of the electorate, he writes. Another factor he mentions is the figure of DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsány.

As long as he is the most charismatic personality on the opposition side, Constantinovits suggests, Fidesz can be sure of winning two thirds of the seats in Parliament in each general election.

Leftist columnist suggests two opposition electoral lists

An alt-left commentator finds it obvious that to maximise their chances, opposition parties should run for the forthcoming municipal elections on two parallel electoral liists.

On Mérce, Csaba Tibor Tóth lambasts Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony who gave opposition parties until mid-February to decide to run on a single united list, arguing that this is what opposition-leaning voters want.

Tóth retorts that many opponents of the government would never vote for the Democratic Coalition. He therefore welcomes Momentum leader Anna Donáth’s pledge never to run again in common with Ferenc Gyurcsány’s party.

A second opposition list, he explains, would offer an acceptable choice to those who oppose both the government and Mr Gyurcsány. Instead of criticising Ms Donáth’s stance, Papp writes, the Mayor should choose between the two opposition alliances that have a chance to pass the 5 percent threshold, as his extremely small Párbeszéd (Dialogue) party and the Socialist Party may not make it to the municipal assemblies on their own.

A left-wing pundit approves EU sanctions on Hungary

The editor of the left-wing nationwide print daily writes that warnings by the European Union are simply ignored by the government, unless they are accompanied by sanctions.

In Népszava, Péter Németh disagrees with those opposition politicians who criticise the financial sanctions imposed on Hungary by the European Commission over rule-of-law considerations, and call on the European Union to find alternative ways to rein in Hungary’s government without inflicting burdens on Hungarian citizens.

There are no other ways, unfortunately, Németh retorts, as steps which stop short of sanctions have proven no more than wasted words in the past. He agrees with the EU’s intention to encourage Hungarian voters to live in a liberal democracy, but admits that sanctions too have remained ineffective thus far.

’We have to resign ourselves to the fact that this will be a long term project,’ he concludes.

Liberal MEPs accused of treason

A pro-government commentator known for his highly opinionated columns vituperates against two Momentum MEPs who criticised the European Commission for releasing a fraction of the funds due to Hungary but withheld over rule-of-law concerns.

On Origo, Dániel Bohár calls MEPs Katalin Cseh and Anna Donáth ’people with alien hearts’, and accuses them of deliberately hurting Hungary’s interests in Brussels. 

Within the European Parliament, Both Ms Donáth who will return in February from maternity leave as chair of Momentum, and Ms Cseh are members of the liberal group, the most vociferous critic of the Commission for being ‘overly lenient’ towards the Hungarian government.

Ms Cseh told reporters that the Commission ’gave in to Viktor’s blackmail’ and accused the Prime Minister of ’using his veto powers on behalf of Vladimir Putin’. Bohár describes the two leading Momentum figures as people who have sold out their Hungarian identity ‘if they ever had one’. He also adds that if they serve alien interests, ‘they do so for money. Very big money.’

This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher.

Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online. 

Click here to Share Your Story
 

You're welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more via our Facebook news page: 
Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews

And via XpatLoop’s group:
Budapest Expats - The International Community in Hungary

You can subscribe to our newsletter here:
XpatLoop.com/Newsletters

Want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value customers?
Contact us here: info@xpatloop.com

Photo: Facebook