A by-election shows why Hungary’s opposition struggles
The ruling party controls the state and the media
BORSOD IS A sweet spot in north-east Hungary, whichever way you look at it. It is home to a big chocolate factory (Szerencsi Bonbon), a caffeine-packed energy drink (Hell), and a pudding wine traditionally favoured by kings and queens on their wedding night (Tokay). It is also the place where the opposition to Viktor Orban, Hungary’s autocratic prime minister, is up against a challenge.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Taking on Viktor Orban”
Europe October 3rd 2020
- Germany is being forced to take a leadership role it never wanted
- War returns to Nagorno-Karabakh
- A by-election shows why Hungary’s opposition struggles
- Spain’s poisonous politics have worsened the pandemic and the economy
- What do Dua Lipa, Rita Ora and Ava Max have in common?
- The revenge of strategic yogurt
From the October 3rd 2020 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Europe
Russian trainee pilots appear to be hunting Ukrainian civilians
Residents of Kherson are dodging murderous drones
Can the good ship Europe weather the Trumpnado?
Tossed by political storms, the continent must dodge a new threat
Spain’s proposed house tax on foreigners will not fix its shortage
Pedro Sánchez will need the opposition’s help to increase supply
A French-sponsored Ukrainian army brigade has been badly botched
The scandal reveals serious weaknesses in Ukraine’s military command
A TV dramatisation of Mussolini’s life inflames Italy
With Giorgia Meloni in power, the fascist past is more relevant than ever
France’s new prime minister is trying to court the left
François Bayrou gambles with Emmanuel Macron’s economic legacy