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New Hungarian Constitution reflects fascist tendencies

22 October 2012
2 minute read

On Monday, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a new Constitution which makes references to God and the tradition of the Crown of St. Stephen. The new Constitution strengthens the power of the governing Fidesz Party (Union of Young Democrats) and Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán in a fundamental way. Orbán proposed the newly adopted text. German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung reports that this means the Hungarian PM has now enshrined the spirit of ideology and intolerance into national law. Germany daily Allgemeine Zeitung reports that Orbán himself personally drafted the new Constitution.

“The Constitution contains tools for shoring up Fidesz’s hegemony, whatever the outcome of the next elections,” Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports. The paper gave the examples of an option for the early retirement of judges, who could then be replaced by people loyal to Fidesz, as well as the fact that the opposition will not have a real opportunity to test the constitutionality of various laws.

Süddeutsche Zeitung reports that many of those who reviewed the text of the newly-approved Hungarian Constitution were reminded of the fascist rhetoric of interwar Europe. Neighboring countries have despondent memories of the arrogance of power and the culture of that period of Hungarian history, when they were subjected to painful Hungarization. The new constitution essentially labels Hungary the state “of all Hungarians”, including those living abroad.

In addition to the 10 million people living in Hungary, an estimated five million ethnic Hungarians live abroad. Large Hungarian minorities live in Romania, Slovakia, and other countries.

The German-language Hungarian daily Balaton Zeitung reminded its readers of commentaries by former Hungarian President László Sólyom and the opposition socialists, who labeled the new Constitution a step backwards. The socialists consider the Constitution illegal and temporary and want to change it after the next parliamentary elections on the basis of a national accord.

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