Analysis
Politics
Hungary at a Crossroads: Economic Turmoil, Internal Dissent and the Rise of Péter Magyar – QUICK TAKE
2 October 2024
23 November 2023
Hungary’s draft Sovereignty Protection bill will serve as an informal campaign tool at least until the June 2024 EP elections and will most likely be challenged by the European Commission, but its chilling effect and negative impact on Hungarian civil society can hardly be overestimated.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has had a tried and tested dual strategy ever since 2017 to rule the domestic discourse and political agenda of his country.
He instrumentalised critical civil society and independent media as a fabricated threat to Hungary’s security and sovereignty in governmental hate campaigns while, in parallel, he created a hostile and intimidating operational environment for them through legislative means.