Hungarian referendum and the Far Right

Hungarian referendum and the Far Right

By: Erreh Svaia

“I am no historian, but Hungary is a country which has never known democracy - and by that, I mean not a democratic political system, but an organic process which has mobilised the entire country's society. In the case of Hungary, this development was blocked by the growth of the Ottoman empire in the 16th century.”

Imre Kertesz

“Do you want the European Union, without the consent of Parliament, to order the compulsory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary?”

That´s the question the Hungarian government, led by ultra nationalist-populist prime minister, and fan of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump,Viktor Orbán, will be making their fellow citizens; Referendums, are populists favorite tool, they are used to conspire in order to manipulate and create opinions, they are used to divide in order to conquer, they know perfectly well that is easier to manipulate society as long as it is divided and opposition is fragmented or weakened, and with the aid of referendums, this is easy to do, let´s not forget what happened in Greece when Alexis Tsipras led Syriza used it as a tool to achieve power and polarize society. 

I will always speak with great admiration about the Hungarian nation, a nation that suffered terribly under communism and fought bravely to regain freedom, the Hungarian history as USSR satellite country is a sad one, if we remember the bloody outcome in the 1956 revolution, when what started as a student demonstration against Soviet imposed policies, turned into a civil uprising against the puppet government and for a shot time ended communist rule, just to be restored violently taking away civil lives and arresting hundreds of dissidents, the inspirational case of Cardinal József Mindsenty who took asylum at the USA embassy for 15 years and allowed to leave 45 years ago, in September 28 in 1971.  

Hungary fought hard and became pivotal in the tearing of the so called Iron Curtain, when they opened their borders and let East German citizens to escape communism by moving towards Austria in an important chapter of the end of the Eastern bloc history, the end of communism iron fist rule started in parallel in the Polish docks and in the Hungarian borders, those borders that ironically seems to be getting close again these days. 

Unfortunately, younger generations tend to forget their own history, and as Orwell said once, that those who control the past, can control the future, it seems that today's struggle in Hungarian politics is a fight to get back to the days when Hungary was under the Soviet influence, this time political ideology has little to do with it, is nationalism and xenophobia that have increased within the country, an increasing fear of immigrants has filled people's minds caused by exaggerated propaganda, and just as in the time of communism indoctrination has become a weapon of control, and a tool to sabotage freedom and impose again an authoritarian rule, just like Hungarian communists did in the past by imposing Soviet rule in their country, it seems that now, is far right populists who are trying to impose Russian values again in Hungary, handling the country in the name of supposed classic European values: “nation, state, family and Christianity”. 

Today Hungary faces a complex situation, as it ranks as one of the lowest average income countries in the European Union, making a lot of young Hungarians move out of the country in order to seek better economic condition and better salaries, work force has weakened in Hungary and cheap labor force is almost unavailable, hurting really deep the growing electronic industry, a situation that once hit the USA, and that was solved by allowing Mexican migrants to move to the USA in order to work in the agriculture sector, but considering Hungary's increasingly harsh politics towards refugees, not only Hungary is putting at risk it's EU membership by not accepting the integration program and a migration quota, that could freeze young Hungarians mobility, but also its chance to solve it's cheap workforce need, hurting the whole industry and the country´s competitiveness by making it imperative for factories to pay more to their work force making costs and prices to increase, affecting inflation deeply, consider that also Hungary is facing its worst competitive ratings in years within the European Union.

Hungary could be facing a major dilemma also, as their harsh migration politics are beginning to make other European Union members to ask for Hungary´s expulsion of the Union, if such a thing happened, money transferred from Hungarians working outside the country would stop, and Hungarians working in other countries will have to return to their country and accept cheap paid jobs, consider also that Hungarian birth rate is also one of the lowest in the EU, and there you have a volatile mix, a big trouble that is about to put the country in a hard situation, with the solution located not in populist xenophobia, but in a smart program that allows Hungary to integrate migration. 

Xenophobic far right politicians like prime minister Vicktor Orbán and his Fidesz Party have been exploiting ignorance and misinformation in order to secure power and apply their own agenda, praising “Asian Capitalism Values” (Russia and China totalitarian style of governments) in order to turn Hungary into another totalitarian state, suppressing finally democratic freedoms, pressuring the news media and eroding the independent functions of the judiciary system, one that allows Orbán full control over the country turning it into a Putinesque state, Orbán´s party Fidesz is worryingly teaming up with the ultra-far right party Jobbik, a fascist party that idolizes Putinism, by dividing society and uniting fascist forces, Orbán is trying to full fill his dream of becoming a force within the European Union, putting the tolerance of Brussels´s to the limit, Orbán´s plan is to become the Putin of the European Union, he is even considering the idea of bringing the Olympic Games to Budapest, just as Putin did in Sochi, in order to create a propagandistic image of Hungary.

To make matters worse, a terrorist attack happened recently in Budapest, possibly caused by ultra-far right groups and directed against gypsy minorities, but used by Orbán in order to denounce the increasing menace of terrorism caused by the refugee influx thru Croatian and Serbian borders, enough justification to create a bigger barbed wire fence, and increase hostility toward migrants.

As the referendum is about to take place, concern is raising considering that a new economic and social crisis could outburst in Hungary, putting the country in the danger of surrendering to totalitarianism and seeking the aid of Russia instead of Brussels and looking to become an anomaly within the Union, a situation that seems to be attracting Poland also, another country that was clue un the end of communism, but that along with Hungary could get infected by the new wave of fascism haunting Europe.