The government takes over Hungary’s independent institutions, one by one

At last you decided to call Fidesz a "right-wing party" and not a "right-of-center party." There is nothing "center" about Viktor Orbán and Fidesz.

I'm looking forward for the goverment's reply.

If the EU had moral politicians at the top, they would deny Orban's
6-month presidency in January.

What kind of EU message is that the Union is led by a dictatorial
figure, even for six months?

Hungary will not lead the EU; all it will do is broker legislation for six months. The sight of Orban and his minions goose-stepping through the halls of power in Brussels will be enough to set Eurocrats giggling for at least the next decade. Sooner or later, Orban will be exposed as the coward that he is -- this time, on the international stage. Then maybe things might begin to change in Budapest. Maybe.

Oh dear, that is a most unflattering photograph of "He Who Must Be Obeyed"; indeed The Economist can thank its lucky stars that it is not a Hungarian publication as that kind of "damage to national prestige" could well have resulted in an enormous fine from the Médiatanács;)

Things are not good, not good at all for the cause of democracy in Hungary and one can only hope that the international media keep up their good work in continuing to highlight the government's chipping away at the checks and balances which are the norms in other European Union countries. Otherwise, given their present almost 100% control of the state here, it will not only be our pensions and free media King Vic and his Orbanistas will be attempting to steal.

Thank you in behalf of every Hungarian journalist. We are to safeguard liberty of press and parliamentary demokracy. Give us all hands you have (and all words).

eh, I have to agree with the previous comments...
Hungary is unlucky again.

I would say Orbán took back Hungary. U shouldn't believe much what authors write since theye are still got there "news" from the old communist mszp leaders.

mszp totally sold out the country and 80% of the big factories were shut down,that is why we got no jobs.

The bankers 95% are coming from the west countries ergo Our savings goes to the west.
The mammut (west) companies paying no tax at all, now they forced to pay 2-4% and they ran to cry about it the the EU. So where is the fair game with the smaller Hungarian companies?

Workers wage did not changed in the last 10 years (thanks to the mszp west corporation friendly goverment)

We dont wanna get in the same situation like Greece and Ireland and the next Portuguese, Span, Italy, France.

We got rid of the IMF and many just dont like it. IMF is who ruins all Europe now. Just see what they did with South-America, And else where around the world.
I just couldnt find ONE country that got better after the IMF settled in.

Re #9

Most Communist-era factories were shut down between 1990 and 1994,
under a right-wing government. The truly successful agricultural
cooperatives were disbanded as Communist relics.

The previous Socialist government were impotent and Weimar-esque,
but they did not want to destroy Freedom.

Egalité et Répression under communism was followed by a 20-year
period of Inégalité et Liberté, and now Hungary reversed to its pre-war condition of Inégalité et Répression.

Strong corruption over the last eight years, when Socialists and partly liberals were in power: a commonplace. Everybody has forgotten that corruption had not been weaker before that period when, in 1998-2002, Fidesz, at that time also headed by Orban, had been in power with other right-wing parties.

I really liked this detached article about the current events, however i'd like to kindly ask the readers not to judge hungary according to its politicians. At the same time i must admit that unfortunately a lot of citizen are so committed to Fidesz that they fail, or dont even want to, see the truth. I cant imagine what will happen after they gain ultimate controll over media since the overwhelming majority of hungary is so governable.

Well, well obviously you gentlemen don't understand the concept of democracy. It is a from of government where the people rule. This concept originates from the Greek words of demos "the people"+ kratia "power, rule." The Hungarian people gave and overwhelming mandate, to the Orban government to do away with the economic mass created by MSZP. Whether they can do it is questionable. The Hungarian economy, based upon the accumulation of immense government and private debts, is in a precarious position. Its infrastructure is not up to par with a modern industrialized state, its currency, the "strong forint," stifles the export industries and the public's expectation of a "good life" are just too high. The question is just when Hungary will follow the example of Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, etc.etc.

the photo to this article tells all about Orban. he is the bad spirit of Hungary, now seeking revenge by opressing the media, and hoping to rule forever by closing the channels of criticism.
however, those are also right, who complain about the previous socialist power. but the fact, that the socialists were awful, does not make Fidesz less horrible. we would need a truly democratic western-type conservative-liberal party asap: only a new political force could save Hungary. sad, that Oszko and many others of his kind are not yet interested.

@kaboca: let me add that Hungarians do not have any savings, as they borrow more than save. i.e. the "wester bankers" do not take away our money, but finance us.

As a semi ex-pat in Hungary I am finding here not simply an enormous lust for power, as the article would make you believe, but an enormous lust for positive change among everyday people. As even Orban admitted, they didn't necessarily vote for the Fidesz party because of its outstanding program. They did so out of frustration with the corruption that was so deep in the previous Socialist-Liberal government - the current opposition screaming for democracy - that it destroyed not just the economy but seemingly even peoples' hope about the future.

Sorry folks, but where was The Economist (or Moody's, or Transparency International, or the EU or ...) when the mess Hungary got into by 2009 was created? Did it just happen overnight? Where was the concern and worry and downgrading when budget figures were cooked, when in 2006 the police was shooting at peaceful demonstrators? Or when the same institutions that are now lead by appointees of a government that won 2/3 majority were lead by corrupt party apparatchicks of parties that self-admittedly lied their way into power?

Oh, and something else that doesn't work here the same way are political labels. The Socialist-Liberals implemented a pure form of right-wing Washington Consensus package, spiced up with pervasive corruption and a tired populist narrative they called progressive. I have no illusion about the overnight elimination of corruption under the current government either, but the policies have actually more left-wing flavour than under the Socialists who were generally called the left... Go figure.

Well, some of you have a very peculiar interpretation as to what democracy is all about. Let me remind you: in real democracies it is all about free election and majority. And seemingly the majority of 2/3 reflects an acute desire of the electorate to experience a swift change (change that you may not necessarily like but have to accept as self proclaimed democrat), and this is happening now. You may have objections, some of you "democrats" over there, but this is how it works in a democracy.

well well karacsony, some may not understand democracy but you do not have a clue as to what the economics are concerned, otherwise you would not put Hungary in the same basket with Greece and Portugal. Check some numbers and if you finished come back here and try to be realistic..this is not to say that there are no troubles in the economy, but just one number: Hungary current deficit will be under 3% next year one of the lowest in the world, currently is just abouve that, GDP growth seems to be 3%

dodo bird and seal driver, your names explain everything..

@warren76

@2/3 majority means 52% of the voter participating in the elections and 30% of the population. is there anything else to be said in this respect?

3% budget deficit: with the surrealistic taxation of foreign businesses and the confiscation of pension funds. according to the dying fiscal council, this will be more than 4,5% after 2012.

now look Freemind, the decision is usually made by those who have the acumen and responsibility to decide. The tax regimen is up to the government to decide, the electorate will decide later in four years, again, remember, democracy..