euro|topics - The government crisis in Hungary

05/07/2009

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Main focus of Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The government crisis in Hungary

Hungary's liberals have abandoned the government coalition, leaving the country under the rule of a minority government. Is the coalition led by the socialist head of government Ferenc Gyurcsány still in a position to implement reforms?

Magyar Hírlap - Hungary

You can't expect a minority government to do the real work of a government, the Hungarian daily writes: "A minority government could have been an advantage for the country if it was in the West, because 'self-service' or preferential treatment for one's own clients is more difficult under such circumstances there. But Hungary lacks political culture and parliamentary experience. Until now the stability of Hungary's political system has been guaranteed by the coalition in question somehow managing to stay in power until the next elections. But the conduct of the current party alliance poses a threat to the country's political stability even if it survives the time it has left in office. There's no hope of this coalition achieving a social agreement on a package of unpopular but inevitable reforms, let alone of such reforms being implemented. This government will continue to resort to pseudo measures." (02/04/2008)

Die Presse - Austria

Hungary is disastrously behind other EU countries, according to Burkhard Bischof. "No wonder the left-wing liberal coalition has collapsed - basically because Gyurcsány has lost all his enthusiasm for reform and is willing to give in to all the populist demands. If this leads to a socialist minority government that is tolerated by the liberal Free Democrats, the malaise will go on for another two years. But even if early elections put the leader of the conservative opposition, Viktor Orban, at the helm once more, as the polls predict, Hungary won't emerge from the current crisis. The past few years have shown Orban to be an unscrupulous and irresponsible populist interested only in his own power and not at all in the country. What Hungary needs now are politicians who are finally prepared to tell the truth - including the fact that it's time for everyone to tighten their belts until the country recovers. Left or right-wing populists will never do this." (02/04/2008)

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - Germany

This government is beyond hope, the coalition is beyond repair, the German daily concludes. "On paper the government alliance failed as a result of a referendum on doctors' fees and additional fees for hospitals, but in reality its undoing was the failure to address the lack of ethics in the public health system that is a legacy of the communist era. Until the government succeeds in eradicating bad habits such as illegal, under-the-table payments for health services, known as 'parasolvences' and 'thank-you money', which provide doctors with a lucrative source of extra income, citizens will reject any kind of reform that entails extra costs for healthcare. Only once people believe that they will receive good treatment without having to pay 'thank-you money' will they accept the additional fees laid down by law." (02/04/2008)

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, April 2, 2008

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