Click here for Steven Beschloss's Substack article from April 18 entitled "Can America Learn from Hungary?"
The autocratic Viktor Orban was soundly defeated a few days ago in Hungary's national election. Despite Orban's control of the media -- the new prime minister, Peter Magyar, was not allowed to make an appearance on national TV while he was trying to campaign -- the vote was nearly 70:30 in favor of Magyar's party, Tisza.
Magyar moved immediately to start ridding Hungary of the worst aspects of Orban's autocratic regime.
Magyar appeared on M1, the state television channel, which as an opposition leader he had not been permitted to visit for years. In a live interview, he spoke directly about his plans. “We will suspend this channel’s news service,” Magyar said. “This isn’t about me; I’m not seeking revenge. Our people deserve journalism that reflects the truth.”
He promised to end “the factory of lies” and create “independent, impartial” news operations “together with the other parliamentary parties and professional organizations.” He continued, “We know there is no perfect media, but what has gone on here since 2010 [when Orban took power] would have Goebbels or the North Korean dictator lick their lips.” (An estimated 80 percent of the country’s media has been controlled by Orbán and his goverment.)
In his live appearance, Magyar mentioned lies told about him there. When the host cut in, he said, “No host in this studio ever dared to interrupt Hungary’s most corrupt and lying prime minister.” When questioned about the legality of shutting down the channel, Magyar said, “For someone on this channel to accuse me of breaking the law looks like a thief accusing the police.”
Magyar promised "to rebuild Hungary’s relationship with the European Union, nationalize assets corruptly handed over to business interests, confront the country’s deep poverty and demand the resignation of officials leading the country’s two highest courts, its chief prosecutor and president—all described as 'puppets' of the Orbán regime."
Magyar met with Hungary's president, Tamás Sulyok, posed for a picture with him -- and then promptly told him he must leave office "voluntarily" or else he would be removed.
The day after the M1 appearance, the new prime minister also promised to pursue those who had “plundered, looted, betrayed, indebted and ruined” the country. This is no easy task, of course. “Since taking power in 2010,” noted The Guardian this week, “Orbán and his party have stacked the Hungarian state, media and judiciary with loyalists, and it remains unclear how they will react to changes made by a Tisza-led government.”
Magyar's rapid moves to rid Hungary of Orban's dominance could be a model for the U.S. to use once Trump is finally removed in disgrace.
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