Hungary’s Right-Wing Threat (dangerously close to the fascism Europe has been striving to bury)

[pampango]

From Nazi occupiers to the Soviet-backed puppet regime, Hungarians have known their share of despots. Now, at the prodding of human rights groups, the European Union is confronting a Hungarian government — led by the conservative ruling party Fidesz (Hungarian Civil Union) — that some say is bringing the country dangerously close to the fascism Europe has been striving to bury in the history books.

Party leader and current Prime Minister Viktor Obrán led Fidesz to a sweeping victory in 2010 and a two-thirds majority in parliament. The party had enough votes to amend the constitution, and the changes that went into effect last month, critics say, are meant to allow the party to tighten its grip on power and stifle human rights.

For example, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that the new provisions in the constitution grant a judge the ability to strip away an individual’s right to vote if he or she is deemed mentally incapable. Many such partisan changes are effectively permanent — the ruling party has recently amended the constitution to require a supermajority for major policy votes. Moreover, government officials with power over the courts, budget and media have been given longer terms, and Fidesz party loyalists have filled the posts.

Human rights groups have also raised concerns over a new government office regulating the media that can close media outlets deemed to be imbalanced. Human Rights Watch reported that “an independent talk radio station, Klubrádió, lost its license in December and will close in March. Large numbers of journalists working for the state broadcaster have been dismissed, ostensibly for efficiency but in some cases the dismissals appear to be linked to their objections to government interference in editorial matters.”

While far-right nationalist parties have gained attention and supporters throughout the continent with their anti-immigrant and racist demonstrations, we are actually seeing the E.U. worry about the attacks on democracy from a ruling party, which emerged not from the extreme right-wing, but from the mainstream conservative movement.

http://www.indypendent.org/2012/03/02/hungary’s-right-wing-threat

[saras]

1. "not from the extreme right-wing, but from the mainstream conservative movement." BULLSHIT

Europeans are being nearly as slow as Americans at coming around to understanding that there isn't any difference.

What the EU is worried about is not that they're right-wing, but that they're winning without the EU's help.

[niyad]

2. k and r--thank you for posting this