Orban Begins New Term in ‘Antagonistic’ Hungary

Viktor Orban begins a new term as head of Hungary on Tuesday, a country more divided than ever between supporters of his fight against immigration and thousands of voters who, accusing him of anti-democratic outbursts, have been protesting since the parliamentary elections, distrusting the crumbling opposition.

Parliament will once again be the scene of this antagonism: during the morning, the 54-year-old leader will be re-elected as prime minister by the representatives of his conservative Fidesz party. At the same time, his opponents hope to gather a crowd at protests scheduled for late afternoon under heavy police supervision.

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After the parliamentary elections on April 8, which guaranteed Viktor Orban a decisive victory, thousands of Hungarians joined a protest movement launched on social media called “We Are the Majority” and protested on two occasions in several cities across the country.

The future of this civic protest, reminiscent of recent anti-government protests in Slovakia and Poland, will largely depend on the ability of opposition parties to channel this dynamic.

Viktor Orban emerged even stronger after the vote, which he presented as “the strongest mandate” he has ever won. The former anti-communist dissident led the government from 1998 to 2002 before returning to power in 2010 for two consecutive terms that made him an icon of populist and nationalist right-wing movements in Europe.

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Within the new parliamentary assembly taking office on Tuesday, he relies on a “super majority” of two-thirds, or 133 representatives out of a total of 199, who provide him support for the upcoming four years.

European Union of Independent States

Orban stated after the elections that his convincing victory in the parliamentary elections gave him a strong mandate to limit the rights of migrants and that he prefers to fight for a European Union of independent states rather than for the “United States of Europe.”

Fidesz hinted that as soon as parliament reconvenes, it could continue efforts to pass legislation that would significantly restrict the work of organizations promoting the rights of migrants.

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The government’s “Stop Soros” bill submitted to parliament before the elections proposes a 25 percent tax on foreign donations to non-governmental organizations that, according to the government, support migration to Hungary.

This bill refers to the American billionaire of Hungarian descent, George Soros, who advocates for and helps promote liberal democracy and open borders in Europe.