Hungary’s authoritarian emergency state
Using the fight against the pandemic to seize power
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The Orbán regime in Hungary has exploited the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic to further tighten the hold on power by the authoritarian regime. With an unconstitutional enabling act, it has suspended all parliamentary control and judicial oversight for the duration of the state of emergency. The state of emergency can only be lifted by a majority that is at the beck and call of the regime. However, even if the enabling act is suspended, Hungary will have taken a further step along the path to authoritarianism. The government is exploiting the fight against the pandemic to suppress the opposition. The regional districts in particular, where in the autumn of 2019, mayors from opposition parties were elected for the first time for many years – particularly in Budapest – the regime is curtailing state funding.
(Osteuropa 3-4/2020, pp. 33–48)