At least this is what can be seen from the domestic political developments of 2023.
"There was confusion in the system, and the Hungarian opposition didn't really know what to do with it," summed up his summary opinion on the Partizán show, the always long-analyzing Péter Tölgyessy. The constitutional lawyer who represented Fidesz for two terms explained in detail what he thinks about Viktor Orbán, America and Europe, and the war, but the domestic opposition also received a large section. Although Tölgyessy is very critical of the current government, the conversation revealed
if we look at performance, abilities and results, the prime minister ends the year well, while the left-liberal side ends the year disastrously. At least according to the analyst.
But if we can't really argue with the veteran authority, as the end of the year approaches, we would draw a sketch of the conditions and horrors of Hungarian domestic politics that have seen better days.
Let's start at the end!
Inflation has finally settled into the regional scale, and the monetary deterioration has certainly subsided to single digits in the last three months. Real wage growth can thus be tangible again after a short break, while employment continues to perform well. Understand: whoever wants to work can have a job!
The announcements about new investments are coming one after the other, most recently the announcement of the establishment of a world champion electric car factory in China, moreover, in a large rural city led by a former MSZP mayor, so that, according to the news, the historic opportunity was managed to be snatched away from the Germans.
Eastern openness and connectivity at its best!
The Ferihegy airport is about to return to Hungarian hands, and the EU resources have gone to their place, towards Hungary, while Viktor Orbán is "fighting" with twenty-six member states regarding the doomed Ukrainian EU accession. Icing on the cake: in all probability, starting next year, the teachers will finally receive the impressive salary increase they deserve, and even a pension increase is expected.
On the other hand, the year 2023 started with Hungarian inflation at a record high, recession threats looming all over the world, while half the world was pushing war propaganda at full speed - which has now calmed down somewhat, obviously not completely regardless of the fact that the things on the front line. Because of this, it still seemed very much around January that, from an economic point of view, the difficulties that can be measured in getting back on one's feet after 2010 could seriously damage the reputation and support of the government.
In vain, difficult times always favor the challengers, regardless of who is responsible for the situation. Or not?
Gyurcsány is in the lead
Well, the leading force of the opposition, the Democratic Coalition, which likes to recruit new members from rivals and allies, started the "shadow government", and their friend, Péter Jakab, started demanding new elections. It was broadcast that even though they lost heavily last year, the cabinet won't be able to hold on for long due to the crisis, so the Gyurcsánys should be ready to take over the baton at any time. But the hungry pig really only got as far as dreaming.
Nevertheless, the DK was able to further increase its influence within the opposition camp during the year, although it seems that the poorly remembered pre-2010 government still had a political glass ceiling over the formation of the Gyurcsány couple for quite some time.
Failure of claimant lilacs
The pretender to the throne, Anna Donáth, who joined the DK in waves and mentioned lies and other nonsense about the former prime minister, delayed the announcement until the end of the year: she will return to the head of the party.
During the year, the purple ones didn't quite find their place, cordons were dismantled, red paint was poured over them, Lili Pankotai was carried to Brussels, where they left no doubt that the European Commission vs. In the match against Hungary, they are rooting for the former team. They repeatedly urged their friends abroad to impose new conditions in exchange for EU funds.
All of this was compounded by the fact that Momentum, which applied for a post-SZDSZ role and stretched the six-party coalition, but did not tear it apart, is struggling with a serious leadership crisis, despite its shrinking rather than expanding support. After all, even a small party can have several smaller parties, they will fit.
Márton Gyöngyösi and the seder dinner
Jobbik, on the other hand, agreed to the special trip, they formally withdrew from the conglomerate that collapsed last year under the auspices of Péter Márki-Zay, their president, Márton Gyöngyösi, the Jewish lister, even went to an American embassy headquarters, while they began to attack the guest workers by bidding against each other with the DK. What a mess!
Hungary, the constructive perpetual motion machine
The LMP has found the role of the constructive, non-hysterical opposition, with the ever-moving, accepting of all invitations Péter Ungár at the helm. In contrast to the German Greens, they did not spare battery factories settling in our country, and although they do not show too much resistance to Gyurcsány, they try to formulate criticism in all directions. Based on end-of-year surveys, this is the case for now
crossing the parliamentary threshold, just like Jobbik, is far from guaranteed.
The MSZP is in trouble, the P has disappeared
With this position, however, they are still better than Párbeszéd, which is converging towards zero percent, or the MSZP, which is struggling with visibility problems, but has again signed Sándor Csintalan. The latter also put together some kind of program, but he lobbied in vain for the joint opposition EP list (although even Publicus weighed it, that would be the best), and the DK also removed the social democratic label from him.
The theme is Our Country
In contrast to the six-party group, Mi Hazánk has successfully addressed the issue during the year, most recently in connection with the reconfiguration of the electoral system in Budapest or, previously, the change of director of the National Museum. However, László Toroczkai's are still far from a breakthrough, but the status of the center party may slowly be achieved.
Isn't the MKPK a joke?
The Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party is also becoming more serious, but they are not very enthusiastic about the others, so they are only willing to make gestures for the sake of left-wing formations, nothing more.
However, according to the current situation, no candidate has been nominated against Gergely Karácsony, so it is likely that the current mayor will be able to compete for Budapest again next summer. Even so, the parties lined up next to him are not too enthusiastic about the revolving politician. However, they couldn't come up with anything better!
One of the political scandals of the year was the case of the "dollar left", i.e. the coming to light of new details regarding the fact that foreign funds were heavily involved in last year's opposition campaign,
in fact, 500 million sources of concern already arrived for the pre-election Christmas campaign. The total amount may exceed HUF 4 billion!
This last circumstance also only strengthens the feeling, which arose not without reason, that a good part of the domestic opposition is not its own master, and does not politicize according to Hungarian interests. But it can easily be: in addition to all weakness, laziness, lack of concept, this is the real reason for their failure.
Because according to the signs, even in the most difficult months, the good of Hungarian society rewards the fact that the Orbán government is active, takes action, and most importantly: undertakes the struggles in the international arena. When Anna Donáth or Klára Dobrev attacks Fidesz on an article in Politico, or perhaps on a more vehement statement by Jourová or Hahn, saying that it is embarrassing for her that we are once again not meeting Western expectations in some matter, that we are not falling in line, that's all. if they were in power, well, they might not realize that their point of view is skewed. With this compulsive attitude of conformity, they get nowhere, even if Hungarian society is dissatisfied with the reigning power, saying: the Trappist is expensive, the forint is weak. The slogan "Brussels wouldn't hurt us, we would let Western companies prevail" has gone out of fashion.
It is not denied that great ideas can still be born in the opposition workshops,
the marketing text that Viktor Orbán should not be allowed to do anything is no longer effective, because he is also to blame for the bad weather.
According to research, the Prime Minister's support even exceeds that of Fidesz - three decades of left-wing discrediting campaigns and phobic hate!
In the end, the opposition is in a worse state than at the beginning of the year, it missed the political chance offered by the crisis, it has been fighting and fighting each other for the last few months. Moreover, with a few exceptions, he could not break away from the failed compulsion to conform to the West.
The Fidesz-KDNP thus managed to get through this difficult year as a whole, and can look optimistically to the next year, 2024, which is burdened with two important elections.
Of course, there is the eternal miracle weapon from the left-hand moon court, which even Tölgyessy does not rule out: the "system" will collapse by itself, because "systems" are just that. However, we have been listening to this for 13 years.
So, dear opposition, if democracy is really important to you, let them politicize and think of an alternative, enough of the evasive explanations and accusations of dictatorship! Of course, it's not a tragedy for us if everything stays more or less the same, so there's no need to rush...
Featured image: MTI/Róbert Hegedüs
