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Lengyel, László
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5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
László Lengyel on steamroller Orbán
The current exercise of power in Hungary displays neo-nationalist and socio-populist traits, writes political scientist László Lengyel in the left-liberal daily Népszabadság: "There are several reasons for this. Firstly: the incompletion of the post-communist transformation process and its lack of social success. Secondly: the problems with the Western model, which was seen as a guideline for the union with Western Europe. ... Thirdly: the enforced modernisation which went hand in hand with aggressive, dictatorial reforms. ... Fourthly: the lacking cooperation between the Western and Eastern European countries, which has resulted on the one hand in national egoism and on the other in national obstinacy. ... Viktor Orbán's government functions neither on the basis of a farsighted strategy nor of a carefully considered model. On the contrary, the government is behaving in a way that has been quite normal for Hungary in the past 15 years. For lack of a strategic plan we don't know where we are heading. ... What we have seen since the change of government is merely a different understanding and way of exercising power which ultimately amounts to steamrolling everything that stands in its path."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Politics, » Hungary
Hungarian Socialists need to make a new start
Next Sunday Hungary's voters are summoned to the ballot in the second round of the parliamentary elections. Following its crushing defeat in the first round the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) has no alternative but to make a new start, writes Political expert László Lengyel in the left-liberal weekly Heti Világgazdaság: "If the MSZP wants to remain a mainstream party that offers an alternative to the conservative Young Democrats (Fidesz) under Viktor Orbán it needs to change. ... The Socialists suffered their worst defeat in the poor and backwards northeast of the country. If the MSZP doesn't face up to the fact that it paved the way for the advance of the far-right Jobbik party in the past eight years it will lose its status as a mainstream party. The Socialists have no option but to take up the battle against Jobbik. They must distance themselves from the ideologised politics pursued by ex head of government Ferenc Gyurcsány and offer people practical solutions."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Hungary
Hungary's conservatives battle with the extreme right
The first round of Hungary's parliamentary elections will take place on April 11. The likely winner, the conservative Fidesz party, will have to struggle not only with the Socialists but also with the extreme right-wing Jobbik party, writes political scientest László Lengyel in the business daily Figyelő: "A civil war has broken out between Fidesz' conservative centre-right supporters and the extreme-right, nationalist Jobbik voters. This is not a show or a deception but a genuine, bloody clash. ... The Fidesz is now fighting not only for the parliamentary two-thirds majority, it must also keep Jobbik firmly at bay. If it can't wrestle Jobbik to the ground, hard times await it in parliament because Jobbik will do all it can to make life difficult for a Fidesz government. The extreme right-wing party won't hestiate to organise huge demonstrations or paralyse the country with referendums."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Hungary
László Lengyel on the dawn of a new authoritarian era in Hungary
Political scientist László Lengyel asks in the weekly supplement of the left-liberal daily Népszabadság if after a long line of authoritarian figures the time has not come for right-wing opposition leader Viktor Orbán, who many expect to win the parliamentary elections in May: "In the last 150 years Hungarian society has become used to ... long cycles. Franz Joseph I, Miklós Horthy and János Kádár imposed a lasting authoritarianism on Hungarians. ... Many of my left-wing friends say the time has now come for the dawn of a fourth authoritarian era. ... This is neither good nor bad, it's just a reality. There is no Left here any more, it only has itself to blame for its own downfall. The country is now subject to a two-fold pressure: from the global economic crisis on the one hand and the rise of right-wing extremists on the other. For this reason many people long for a strong state with a firm sense of authority. If that means a two-thirds majority for Viktor Orban and his opposition party Fidesz, well, so be it. It makes no difference who pulls this country together, he should just get busy and do it."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Hungary
Hungary' goes its own way in Central Europe
According to political scientist Laszlo Lengyel, Hungary is going its own way in Central Europe: "The social liberal coalition, which has been stable for 12 years now, is a unique feature in Central Europe. It's reminiscent of the German governments of the 1970s, of the Brandt-Scheel-Schmidt-Genscher succession." The other countries of Central Eastern Europe, "the 'New Europe', are characterised by economic liberalism or national radicalism. They look towards the US for direction and oppose continental Europe and Russia... Hungarian voters have rejected 'Hungarian Victorianism (named after opposition leader Viktor Orban), which is the Hungarian version of this trend. Hungarian nationalism, economic patriotism, having one leader determine all the country's policies, the attempt to unite the entire conservative camp in a single popular party – all this has failed. Hungary has abandoned the path of East European nationalism."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Central Europe
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