Hungarian News

Calls in Election Times

• January 17, 2022
• István
• 9 Comments

Updated. Yesterday Péter Márki-Zay called Orbán to discuss with him in a PM candidate debate. He stated ►HU: “The people, be they pro-government voters or opponents, deserve to be able to listen to who wants to be Hungary’s prime minister for the next four years, so I invite Viktor Orbán to a debate. Let’s stand in front of the people, show what kind of country we imagine! Let’s discuss how we envision the future of the economy, health care or migration to find out who actually did what and what they think of our common home, Hungary.”

This is an ambitious call. Although Márki-Zay has all rights to ask for a public exchange of arguments I can’t believe that it will happen. Orbán is very much convinced that he is a great speaker, but he is only able to repeat pre-prepared statements and these highly depend on the quality of those who wrote it for him. Even during his 1:09 minutes short announcement about freezing grocery prices Orbán was not able to talk fluently and without notes. He is completely unable to discuss, this fact became completely clear in the debate with Ferenc Gyurcsány in 2006, when Orbán loosed the debate remarkably. Gyurcsány seemed to be a teacher who examined a completely unprepared pupil. That debate is still available on internet with some highlights ►HU and in complete length ►HU.

Márki-Zay has a good ability to concentrate on facts as well, and he is able to put them into words. Reasons enough for Orbán to run away. Of course the opposition candidate declares that he is sure that Orbán would like that as well ►HU. If he can’t beat him in an open debate, MZP will at least beat him with showing him off as the coward he is.

In the meanwhile not only a few are afraid the elections would not be democratic by any standards. Referring to “anomalies” during the 2018 elections through Open Democracy ►EN and a study of Yale University ►EN a group of 20 Hungarian organisations pledges the OSCE to employ a full-scale observation of the elections through its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR.) Limited observations are usual in democratic countries as well, such a mission has also taken place in Hungary in 2018. The conclusion of the ODIHR was ►EN that the elections “were characterized by a pervasive overlap between state and ruling party resources, undermining contestants’ ability to compete on an equal basis. Voters had a wide range of political options but intimidating and xenophobic rhetoric, media bias and opaque campaign financing constricted the space for genuine political debate, hindering voters’ ability to make a fully-informed choice.” The 2022 mission should have “a distinct focus on election-day observation. A significant number of ODIHR short-term election observers, in addition to the expertise assembled within core and long-term observers, would bring significant value beyond documenting violations. It would enhance public confidence in the electoral process and play an essential role in deterring irregularities.” The complete document can be found for download here ►EN. But everybody can register as observer ►EN, as Pantanifan pointed out (thank you!)

Amnesty International Magyarország and Háttér Társaság wrote an instruction how to handle the referendum against sexual minorities. Since it will take place the same day as the general elections the turnout will be high. After Orbán lost his referendum against the refugee quota he himself voted for in a seating of the European Council through invalidity by missing the 50% quorum he decided that this referendum now will be held during the general elections. Not to accept the ballot for the referendum is a possibility to boycott, but has 2 disadvantages. The boycotting person will be known, not really an option to those living in FIDESZ dominated villages, where the political orientation even decides over employment or benefits. And it opens doors for electoral fraud, since a voter showed up and a ballot is unused. So the needed quorum of 50 % won’t be a problem this time. But it will be measured by the valid votes in the referendum. So the call is to vote invalid. To answer every single question with both “yes” and “no.”

All questions are regarded as being misleading and indeed the referendum offers even space for further measures. The 1st question is about all sexual orientations – and heterosexuality is one of them! Informing about unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases could be prohibited, while Hungarian teenagers definitely need to learn more about (perhaps even older Hungarians.) To forbid promotion of gender reassignment surgeries is compared to promotion of appendectomy or promotion of chemotherapy. Nobody would consider the latter 2 options, since they are applied when needed, not because they are so fancy. The organisations remind us that the open presentation of sexuality in media available for minors is forbidden in Hungary since decades, so the 3rd question about unlimited sexual media content is just useless. While they agree that bloody scenes of gender reassignment surgery could harm children indeed they consider the 4th question concerning regarding media content about sex change completely misleading. Again the pure knowledge of the possibility of a fact neither harms nor is addressed by the question ►HU.

Update: István Hollik, communications director of FIDESZ refused the idea of a debate and declared that there is “no point in arguing with a subordinate.” The coward in the várszínház again hides and the entire FIDESZ machine has no idea beyond telling that the entire opposition would be Gyurcsány ►HU.