I watched Hungary's democracy dissolve into authoritarianism as a member of parliament − and I see troubling parallels

[Uncle Joe]

in Trumpism and its appeal to workers

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Member of Parliament Gábor Scheiring, right, with two colleagues, all wearing signs that say ‘Enough,’ chained themselves to the Parliament building in a December 2011 protest against the increasing autocracy of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Photo Akos Stiller

Authoritarianism from within

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Orbán and his party in power hijacked democratic institutions. The nationwide right-wing media network is a crucial component of this authoritarian power. As the Voice of America reported in 2022, Orbán’s allies “have created a pervasive conservative media ecosystem that dominates the airwaves and generally echoes the positions of the Orbán government.”

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Republicans in the U.S. have followed a similar trajectory with their support of Trump as his rhetoric grows more authoritarian. Trump says if he wins the election, he wants to be “a dictator” for one day. A recent poll shows that 74% of Republicans surveyed said it would be a good idea for Trump to “be a dictator only on the first day of his second term.”

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No democracy with division

How can strongmen get away with these antidemocratic politics? If there is one lesson from Hungary, it is this: Democracy is not sustainable in a divided society where many are left behind economically.

The real power of authoritarian populists like Trump and Orban lies not in the institutions they hijack but in the novel electoral support coalition they create.

https://theconversation.com/i-watched-hungarys-democracy-dissolve-into-authoritarianism-as-a-member-of-parliament-and-i-see-troubling-parallels-in-trumpism-and-its-appeal-to-workers-224930