Analysis
Democratic Security
The Open Question of Rumen Radev
23 April 2026
The Hungarian government is misusing national consultations to manipulate public opinion and consolidate its power. Undermining democracy with such semi-formalised informal tools will not disappear any time soon from within the European Union.
While Europe is easing lockdown-measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the Hungarian government has recently announced that it will revoke the controversial “special legal order”, that was introduced during the outbreak of the global pandemic crisis.
The so-called Enabling Act provided Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán with unlimited power to govern by decree without a sunset provision.
The government has even launched an offensive against foreign experts and media outlets, accusing them of “misinterpreting the Hungarian situation” and demanding an apology in official letters.