Hungary's campaign against press freedom

The right-wing conservative parliamentary majority of Hungarian President Viktor Orbán recently approved a controversial media law strengthening the government's control over state media. Sociologist and media researcher Mária Vásárhelyi criticises the law in the leftist daily Népszava: "The campaign against press freedom is devastating, yet it comes as no surprise. Anyone who has observed politics in recent years knows what Fidesz [the ruling party] was up to as regards the media. … Every step Fidesz took was predictable: its aggressive expansion in the media landscape and its measures against press freedom. … In this respect the Socialists (MSZP) bear huge responsibility. ... Although MSZP was at the helm for eight years it basically did nothing to put a stop to the expansion of far-right media. ... Fidesz is now making inroads into state media."

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