Hungary: campaign bluster already too loud?

The people of Hungary elect a new parliament 3 April. The election campaign officially begins on 12 February, but the political parties and the public have been in campaign mode for some time now. The country's commentators take a dim view of this state of affairs.

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Népszava (HU) /

Governing party in opposition mode

For Népszava, Fidesz has offered voters too little so far:

“It is impossible not to see Fidesz's schizophrenia. For the governing party seems to have a compulsive tendency to see itself as the opposition. For some time now no campaign message has been heard or seen from it apart from its ideas about the monstrosities the opposition would commit if it came to power. Nothing has been said so far about what Fidesz intends to do if it remains in power.”

Magyar Hang (HU) /

Destructive belligerent rhetoric

Magyar Hang criticises the belligerent tone of pro-government media:

“In theory we continue to live in a parliamentary system where parties compete and take turns in power. But in practice, in the eyes of the government's media machine and the fanatical [Fidesz] supporters, [the opposition] is no longer an opponent to contend with for victory, but an enemy to be morally destroyed. ... The rhetoric of war has ceased to be mere metaphor. And where some are calling for a fight to the death, it seems that all means are allowed.”