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Today Hungary ceased to be a democratic country with the extreme right nationalist Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, given the power to rule by decree for as long as he sees fit.

The fact that fascists like Orban would use the coronavirus as a means of cementing their power and destroying democracy and the rule of law is not surprising, but it is worrying.

The executive summary of what's happened there today:

Hungarian Parliament suspends itself and hands Orbán unlimited power to rule by decree.

State of emergency declared with absolutely no time limit.

No elections, no parliamentary scrutiny, no oversight, no democratic votes, until the "State of emergency" ends, with only the ruling party having the power to declare that it has ended.... if they ever feel like it.

Spreading whatever the Orbán regime defines as "fake news" or "rumours" punishable with up to 5 years in prison.

Leaving enforced isolation punishable with up to 8 yrs in prison.

Stop giving Trump ideas. He envies dictatorships and wants to make us one.

Randomizer wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:08 pm

Stop giving Trump ideas. He envies dictatorships and wants to make us one.

I am sure he reads this forum regularly.

Jamiet99uk wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:27 pm

I am sure he reads this forum regularly.

Just the first 140 characters.

If Trump had a longer attention span, he would love it. Backstabbing, taking over the world, cutting deals, talking about himself, ….

My understanding is that both the Hungarian Parliament and Constitutional Court have the power to revoke these measures when they see fit, and that Parliament is indeed still meeting. But regardless of that, it does send a bit of a shiver down the spine. It will be interesting to see see how the EU reacts. The EU is being tested as never before, and needs to rise to the challenge or fall.

The EU has spent some time ignoring the democratic failings in Hungary because there is at least one other far right govt which will veto any sanction (like suspending Hungarian membership - it would require all 26 other EU members to agree to any such sanction). As a result democracy in both countries has been sliding towards this for a number of years.

orathaic wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:15 pm

The EU has spent some time ignoring the democratic failings in Hungary because there is at least one other far right govt which will veto any sanction (like suspending Hungarian membership - it would require all 26 other EU members to agree to any such sanction). As a result democracy in both countries has been sliding towards this for a number of years.

The other government being the government of Poland, I assume?

Jamiet99uk wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:49 pm

orathaic wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:15 pm

The EU has spent some time ignoring the democratic failings in Hungary because there is at least one other far right govt which will veto any sanction (like suspending Hungarian membership - it would require all 26 other EU members to agree to any such sanction). As a result democracy in both countries has been sliding towards this for a number of years.

The other government being the government of Poland, I assume?

I honestly haven't been paying enough attention. So, yes?

Just threaten to remove the money flow to Hungary and they will leave or comply voluntarily.

At the moment EU is discussing the long term budget. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss Hungary at the same time.

The long term budget, arguments over aid for corona hit southern nations, the threat of expulsion for rogue eastern nations... That's one hell of a discussion.