culture wars
March 08, 2010, 10:28 CET
Anti-fascist, Roma groups hold demo at Heroes' Square
Anti-fascist groups were joined by Roma representatives and NGOs for a demonstration against discrimination, violence and extremism on Saturday. The event attracted around 5,000 people, the organisers said. Participants including Helmut Scholz, MEP of the Party of the European Left,... [read complete entry]
February 26, 2010, 09:08 CET
I always knew fiscal austerity was a bitch, but…
It's still far too early in the 2010 general election season to say which party is winning the contest for the most bizarre campaign poster. But my current favorite has got to be the above offering from the MDF,... [read complete entry]
February 16, 2010, 10:08 CET
Soviet monument in Budapest vandalized
The Budapest memorial to WWII soldiers of the Soviet Red Army - the only remaining monument of its kind in the city - was vandalised early on Monday, police told MTI. The metal fence surrounding the contested monument in Szabadsag... [read complete entry]
February 15, 2010, 10:26 CET
Two anti-fascist demonstrators in Budapest allegedly assaulted
Two participants of an anti-fascist demonstration in central Budapest were allegedly assaulted at a tram stop after they left a peaceful protest, a Hungarian Jewish organisation told MTI on Sunday. An ambulance was called to the scene and the suspects... [read complete entry]
February 15, 2010, 10:14 CET
Strasbourg launches inquiry into Roma segregation in schools
The Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights is asking the Hungarian government questions regarding discrimination and segregation of the Roma in its education system, MTI learned on Friday. Two Hungarian Roma men, both aged 23 and residents of the village... [read complete entry]
February 10, 2010, 09:52 CET
Neo-Nazis plan rally with German peers in Budapest
The Hungarian Nationalist Socialist Front (NS) plan to hold a rally in Budapest on March 6 with fellow German a neo-Nazis, Nepszabadsag daily said on Wednesday. Spokeswoman for the Budapest police headquarters Hilda Illes told MTI that the police had... [read complete entry]
February 10, 2010, 09:39 CET
Jobbik calls for dismantling of Soviet war memorial
The radical nationalist Jobbik party called for the removal of a Soviet war memorial from Szabadsag Square in central Budapest at a press conference on Tuesday. The prominent memorial has been a subject of dispute since the change of regime... [read complete entry]
January 21, 2010, 09:21 CET
On-air remark about Christianity causes stir
Journalist Imre Para-Kovács caused a stir on Tuesday by declaring on the radio that "a child's life can be destroyed by two things: Christianity and pornography". Christian Democrat chairman Zsolt Semjén called the remark an attack against Christians and Christianity.... [read complete entry]
January 14, 2010, 10:26 CET
Socialist party seeks law to penalize Holocaust denial
The governing Socialist party is seeking four-party talks on drawing up a bill to penalise Holocaust denial, Attila Mesterhazy, the Socialist parliamentary group leader, told reporters on Wednesday. Mesterhazy, who is the Socialist party's prime-minister candidate in the next elections,... [read complete entry]
December 30, 2009, 11:07 CET
Ecology, culture seen as key issue dominating President's agenda in '09
The key topics addressed by Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom in 2009, his last full year in office, were the heritage of the 1956 revolution, the relationship between state and "cultural nation" and the necessity of an ecological change, head of... [read complete entry]
December 08, 2009, 10:18 CET
Catholic Cardinal spars with Jobbik over blessing of public crosses
Cardinal Péter Erd has become a target of Jobbik after advising Catholic priests not to bless crosses erected in public places by the far-right party. Speaking at a press conference last Thursday, he said priests should not perform such ceremonies... [read complete entry]
December 08, 2009, 10:04 CET
Parliament approves census law despite veto by president over religion
The Hungarian Parliament on Monday repeatedly approved the law on the 2011 census, which President Laszlo Solyom had sent back for reconsideration in October. The law was approved with 190 votes for, 158 against and two abstentions. Solyom criticised the... [read complete entry]
December 04, 2009, 07:44 CET
Mayor threatened after rejecting request to erect Advent cross in public
The mayor of Csorna (Győr-Moson-Sopron County) received threatening calls after expressing his aversion to Advent crosses erected in public places, writes kisalfold.hu. First, he rejected a request from a private individual to erect a cross on a square in the... [read complete entry]
November 23, 2009, 08:32 CET
Police face off against Magyar Gárda at memorial march for interwar leader
A march organised by the far-right Jobbik party marking the 90th anniversary of the procession of Regent Miklós Horthy into Budapest took place in the 11th District on Sunday. Police prevented units of the outlawed Magyar Gárda from following the... [read complete entry]
November 20, 2009, 10:48 CET
New left-wing party launched; seen drawing from SZDSZ
A new left-wing party called Free People for Hungary (Szema) made its first public appearance on Wednesday, national daily Nepszava said. Founded in October, Szema aims to offer a genuine choice to left-wing and liberal voters in parliamentary elections next... [read complete entry]
November 18, 2009, 09:14 CET
Famous footballer rejects award from Budapest mayor, protests leftist bias
Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky yesterday bestowed honorary citizenship on ten people at City Hall. Gyula Grosics, goalkeeper of the legendary Hungarian football side of the 1950s, recently refused the award, as he felt he was the only person on the... [read complete entry]
November 05, 2009, 10:12 CET
Churches denounce new census law for excluding question on religion
Churches denounce new census law for excluding question on religion Hungary's Catholic, Reformed and Lutheran Churches on Wednesday expressed criticism over the recently-passed law on the 2011 census, which will exclude several questions earlier on the survey, including that on... [read complete entry]
October 28, 2009, 08:50 CET
Debate continues over appropriate questions for 2011 census
Hungary's ruling Socialists will consider President Laszlo Solyom's suggestions regarding the 2011 census, but will not support the inclusion of questions on faith, a Socialist official told Wednesday's Nepszabadsag daily. Valeria Deak Fogarasi, deputy chairwoman of the parliamentary committee for... [read complete entry]
October 22, 2009, 10:11 CET
Remembering '56: Let the people speak
Unless something big happens, we won't be posting during tomorrow's October 23rd national holiday. But rather than post today about our feelings on the annual commemoration of the 1956 anti-Soviet revolt, we're going to follow the suggestion of one... [read complete entry]
October 19, 2009, 02:46 CET
Wall Street Journal writers beware: Fidesz going to win 2010 elections no matter what
Just saw a piece go up over on the Wall Street Journal's "New Europe" blog with a rather combustible headline: "Gypsies, Jews, Homosexuals Beware: Fidesz Eyes 2010 Elections". The nut graph is as follows: If Fidesz cracks down on extreme... [read complete entry]
October 12, 2009, 09:06 CET
Calls for stripping of MP's immunity over allegedly anti-Semitic remarks
A deputy of the main opposition Fidesz party has made public remarks evoking the views of Hitler and the Nazis, spokesman of the Socialist Party Istvan Nyako said on Friday, calling for Oszkar Molnar's parliamentary immunity to be suspended. In... [read complete entry]
September 23, 2009, 09:44 CET
Election Committee gives okay for referendum on gender equality in voting
Hungary's National Election Committee (OVB) on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for the collection of signatures for a referendum initiative which seeks to ensure that election lists are composed of an equal number of men and women. Under the initiative, all... [read complete entry]
September 23, 2009, 09:14 CET
Divided parliamentary committee moves to include religion in national census
Parliament's Committee on Human Rights and Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs voted on Monday to pass a motion proposed by Fidesz which would include a voluntary question on religious views in the next census, to be held in 2011, hvg.hu... [read complete entry]
September 22, 2009, 10:27 CET
Parliament passes new civil code; sweeping changes include 1,200 provisions
Parliament passed a new civil code yesterday, approving Hungary’s most extensive and complex legislation, containing some 1,200 provisions. The bill will now go to President László Sólyom for endorsement or rejection. It received 191 affirmative votes, as all Socialist MPs... [read complete entry]
September 18, 2009, 12:19 CET
Hungarian center-right wilts under siege by far-right cyber-barbarians
Despite the recent relative quiet this past week, longtime visitors to this site (and the other All Hungary sites) have probably noticed that over the previous year, the nature of the comments left here has become increasingly vulgar and far-right... [read complete entry]
September 17, 2009, 12:07 CET
"Right-hand drive" taxi company launched
For those of you unwilling to get into a cab unless you are convinced that they share the same conservative political views as you do, the folks over at consumer blog Tékozló Homár have revealed the launch of JobbTaxi,... [read complete entry]
September 17, 2009, 10:25 CET
Socialist MP calls state president "peasant" after snub of new house speaker
Socialist MP Tibor Szanyi called President László Sólyom a "peasant" on his online blog, Magyar Hírlap reports. Writing on kapcsolat.hu, Szanyi said Sólyom had gone to Parliament on Monday to witness the election of a new Speaker, heard the applause... [read complete entry]
August 17, 2009, 10:52 CET
Second big official "outing" in Hungary may do little to mute gay stereotypes
As in much of the world, Hungary is going through an inevitably awkward process of coming to terms with the fact that a certain number of its politicians and high-ranking officials are gay or lesbian. While in most such cases... [read complete entry]
July 15, 2009, 09:49 CET
Actually, "cultural elitist" isn't a compliment
As the old political saying goes, the only polls that count are the ones on election day. Still, when the poll numbers are as cruel as the ones for the SZDSZ - they all show the party being decisively turfed... [read complete entry]
July 13, 2009, 10:52 CET
President reportedly turns down requests for meeting with gay rights groups
President László Sólyom has refused a weekend request for a meeting from gay organisations, citing a busy schedule. In seeking a meeting, the groups pointed out that radical nationalist organisations such as Jobbik, the Magyar Gárda, the 64 Counties Youth... [read complete entry]
July 09, 2009, 10:35 CET
Bajnai meets religious leaders; rebuffed by head of Calvinist Church
Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai met heads of Hungary's largest church organisations in Parliament on Wednesday. The talks focused on issues around the economic crisis as well as related social problems. Cardinal Peter Erdo, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest told MTI following the... [read complete entry]
June 11, 2009, 09:29 CET
Court issues final ruling against nationalist "Turul" statue
The statue of the mythical turul bird erected in the 12th District in 2005 must be pulled down, the Municipal Court ruled on Wednesday. The verdict is final and may not be appealed. The lawyer for the 12th District said... [read complete entry]
May 28, 2009, 10:59 CET
Amnesty International raps Hungary on Roma rights, lack of speech curbs
The Hungarian Roma community is still forced to suffer discrimination in every area of life, and gays too must contend with the intolerance of violent groups, according to a report by Amnesty International published on Thursday. The world's largest human... [read complete entry]
May 26, 2009, 11:02 CET
Parliament celebrates International Missing Children's Day with cut to child benefit
The Socialist/Liberal bloc that still manages to control Hungary's Parliament has made good on their earlier decision to cut some child benefits. But how's this for timing: they did it yesterday, which just happens to be "International Missing Children's Day."... [read complete entry]
May 20, 2009, 09:23 CET
MPs submit education bill to Parliament; opposition calls ideas "absurd"
Former Free Democrat Education Minister Bálint Magyar and MP Klára Sándor submitted to Parliament amendment motions of the Public Education Act on Tuesday. The proposal aims to stop the teaching of subjects in the first six school years, to ban... [read complete entry]
March 11, 2009, 08:12 CET
Supreme Court hands down acquittal in case of banned red star
Hungary's Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted a one-time vice president of the Workers' Party on charges of using totalitarian symbols, overturning an earlier ruling of the Budapest Municipal Court.... [read complete entry]
March 05, 2009, 09:13 CET
Secret services minister says gov't expects peaceful March 15 celebrations
Hungary's secret services minister Gyorgy Szilvasy told commercial television ATV on Wednesday that he was expecting this year's celebrations of the national holiday on March 15 to be peaceful.... [read complete entry]
February 23, 2009, 08:56 CET
Gyurcsány says crisis endangering basic democratic values
Hungary's Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany on Sunday said it was outstandingly important to join forces in the country, as the basic values of the democratic political transition got endangered in the past months.... [read complete entry]
February 16, 2009, 09:27 CET
Thousands protest gov't boycott of conservative daily
Over 2,000 people demonstrated on Friday afternoon against Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's call to cut off state advertising in and subscriptions to Magyar Hírlap over a commentary that referred to the Roma killers of Romanian handball player Marian Cozma as... [read complete entry]
February 10, 2009, 09:41 CET
Supreme Court sentences retired officer for 1956 shooting
Hungary's Supreme Court has handed retired colonel Janos Korbely a five year prison sentence for his role in a volley fire in Tata (NW) during the anti-Soviet uprising in 1956, Hungarian public television MTV reported on Monday.... [read complete entry]
February 02, 2009, 09:55 CET
Liberal leader urges Gyurcsány, Orbán to work together
Free Democrat chairman Gábor Fodor on Friday appealed in letters sent to Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and Fidesz chairman Viktor Orbán that they "lay aside" some differences in their political standoff and attempt to hammer out a joint position on... [read complete entry]
February 02, 2009, 08:41 CET
PM bemoans lack of political maturity in Hungary
Hungary's constitutional institutions have stood the test of time, but the political community is very weak, and many people are disappointed in the democratic regime, the prime minister said at a conference marking the anniversary of the republic.... [read complete entry]
January 26, 2009, 12:34 CET
Gyurcsány says domestic infighting Hungary's biggest weakness
Hungary's Socialist prime minister on Saturday called the decade-long domestic infighting the country's major weakness in the midst of the first global crisis in history.... [read complete entry]
January 26, 2009, 11:24 CET
State should support culture more actively, says Fidesz
The state should take a more active role in financing culture and arts, main opposition Fidesz party parliamentary group leader Tibor Navracsics said on Saturday.... [read complete entry]
January 14, 2009, 08:35 CET
MSZP demands resignation of provincial Fidesz representative
The Socialists have called for the resignation of a Fidesz local government representative from Kiskunfélegyháza, who in his capacity as a school principal, did not prevent a student from having her picture taken with a wax figure of Adolf Hitler... [read complete entry]
January 05, 2009, 11:40 CET
Roma protest Hungarian Guard poster campaign
Anti-Roma posters affixed by the far-right group the Magyar Gárda appeared in Rakamaz, Szabolcs county on Friday, prompting dozens of local Roma residents to converge on the main street armed with hoes and scythes.... [read complete entry]
December 22, 2008, 10:08 CET
Gyurcsány warns of anti-liberal trends; foresees "mandatory" religious education
Conservatism is gaining ground in Hungary independent of party politics, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said in an interview in Saturday's Nepszabadsag daily.... [read complete entry]
December 19, 2008, 11:53 CET
Shock as former Communists use market forces to suppress anti-Communist documentary
In addition to controversies over a monument to Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising and the awards given to Hungarians who helped suppress it, now we have a nice little controversy over allegations that the government is suppressing a film about... [read complete entry]
December 19, 2008, 11:26 CET
List of "honorees" in suppression of '56 uprising published
A list consisting of the names of two thousand people who received awards for crushing Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising was made public by the October 23rd Committee Foundation, index.hu reports.... [read complete entry]
December 19, 2008, 11:09 CET
Court clears way for movement of controversial monument to '56 revolt
Earlier this week workers began to disassemble a memorial in Veszprém dedicated to the 1956 revolution after a court cleared the way for the monument to be moved to a less conspicuous place in the city, index.hu writes.... [read complete entry]
December 16, 2008, 11:00 CET
Prime Minister's wife, town mayor, attacked over suggestion that mothers, lazy husband, return to work
A woman scratched the face of the mayor of the small Zemplén County town of Tolcsva because she felt it was "humiliating" that he ordered her husband to take part in public works projects, reports Hirszerzo.hu. Mayor László Vojnár was... [read complete entry]
December 01, 2008, 12:50 CET
Sins of the father visited on the Prime Minister son
As long as we are assigning collective guilt, opposition daily Magyar Nemzet last week ran a juicy but offline piece detailing the criminal record of the late father of Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány. According to the article, which was summarized... [read complete entry]
November 26, 2008, 07:56 CET
Parties deny Communist-era spies among MPs parliament
News portal Zoom.hu has published denials by all the major parties apart from SZDSZ that state security agents from the Communist era are still operating in Parliament. The allegations were reported by the same source on November 21.... [read complete entry]
November 21, 2008, 09:45 CET
Did Slovaks really vandalize District XII Turul statue?
In news that will really piss off the Hungarian right, and not just the far-right, the "controversial" (i.e. beloved by nationalists) turul statue in District XII was recently vandalized, hirtv.hu reports, complete with video. Incredibly, the phrases "Long live [Slovak... [read complete entry]
November 20, 2008, 02:48 CET
"Future Generations" ombudsman not so in favor of future generations
In Hungary, the "green" or environmental ombudsman has the peculiar title of being the ombudsman of "future generations," ostensibly because his job is to make sure the country is still in good shape for future generations of Hungarians. Thus it... [read complete entry]
November 19, 2008, 12:42 CET
Újpest to erect statue for "leftist idol" to balance new statue of rightist icon
Socialist politicians in Budapest's District IV (Újpest) are planning to erect a statue of a "leftist idol" to "balance" a recently-erected statue of Transylvanian novelist Albert Wass, who is popular among rightists, reports Index.hu. Deputy Mayor Norbert Trippon told the... [read complete entry]
November 11, 2008, 01:43 CET
Jobbik webmaster faces UK tabloid witch hunt
It must be "cucumber season" in Britain judging by the amount of coverage Hungary is receiving in The Sun these days. The subject of this week's mock outrage exclusive is "top Euro neo-Nazi leader" Zoltán Füzessy, the Jobbik dude responsible... [read complete entry]
November 05, 2008, 09:19 CET
Free Democrats urge protest over Slovak clashes
The opposition liberal Free Democrats called upon the Hungarian government to protest through every possible diplomatic venue against the Slovak police action that hurt the rights of Hungarian citizens, Executive Peter Gusztos told MTI on Tuesday.... [read complete entry]
November 04, 2008, 10:40 CET
Demonstration held outside Békéscsaba Slovak consulate
About 100 members of several right wing groups, including Movement for a Righter Hungary, and its paramilitary wing Hungarian Guard demonstrated in front of the Slovak consulate in Bekescsaba, SE Hungary, on Monday night.... [read complete entry]
November 04, 2008, 10:38 CET
Weekend violence divides Hungarian and Slovak foreign ministers at Marseilles summit
Hungarian Foreign Minister Kinga Goncz argued that the evidence provided by Slovakia was not sufficient to clearly determine why police assaulted soccer fans at a game in Dunajska Streda, Slovakia, an ethnic Hungarian region, on the weekend.... [read complete entry]
November 03, 2008, 02:25 CET
Gyurcsány questions "brutal" police response at Slovak soccer match
Weekend clashes between Hungarian football fans and Slovak police should be properly investigated because it is unclear whether the fans were at fault and whether police had responded in a legal a proportionate way, said Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany on... [read complete entry]
October 30, 2008, 09:50 CET
Fidesz politician hails "anti-gay" Roma culture
Fidesz MP and deputy parliamentary speaker Péter Harrach welcomed the audience at the "Gypsy Magic" event on Roma culture. "We should respect the values existing in Gypsy culture: the love for children, respect for the elderly and the fact that... [read complete entry]
October 30, 2008, 09:44 CET
Former secret services head accuses government of bomb set-up
Fidesz politician Ervin Demeter has accused György Szilvásy, minister without portfolio supervising secret services, of manipulating the public in the case of an alleged plot to detonate bombs on Budapest's Nyugati tér on October 23. Demeter was secret services minister... [read complete entry]
October 20, 2008, 09:50 CET
Inquiry launched into Leányfalu EU flag boycott
The Central Hungarian Regional Public Administrative Office launched an immediate inquiry after the mayor of Leányfalu, Csaba Nyíri, had the EU flag removed from public institutions in the municipality on Thursday. Under Hungarian law, the EU flag must be raised... [read complete entry]
September 25, 2008, 10:40 CET
Things going wrong on the right as more Hungarian Guard leaders step down
Several leading members of the Hungarian Guard have followed national commissioner István Dósa and resigned from their posts in the far-right paramilitary group, reports Népszabadság. Five top members have left the organization following Saturday's disappointing demonstrations.... [read complete entry]
September 24, 2008, 10:38 CET
Court offers mixed ruling in case of banned communist symbol
Workers Party 2006 chairman János Fratanolo did not commit a crime when he wore the red star on his lapel at a trade union march in Pécs on May 1, 2004, the day Hungary joined the EU, Baranya county court... [read complete entry]
September 08, 2008, 10:42 CET
Gyurcsány kicks off anti-extremism initiative
The Hungarian Democratic Charter, a new anti-violence body initiated by Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany to fight extremism, held its founding meeting in Budapest on Saturday.... [read complete entry]
September 03, 2008, 04:02 CET
Jobbik in freaky suck-up to Russia
An eagle-eyed reader has informed us that Jobbik - Hungary's best-organized far-right party - has formally taken sides in the "new cold war" brewing between Russia and the west over Moscow's heavy-handed incursion into Georgia last month. But the people... [read complete entry]
August 28, 2008, 10:10 CET
Roma protest loaded survey question on "gypsy crime"
The head of the National Roma Council has protested against a survey published on Wednesday which had juxtaposed the words "gypsy" and "crime" in a question. Orban Kolompar slammed Nezopont Institute's survey, which found that 91 percent of those asked... [read complete entry]
August 27, 2008, 01:01 CET
Star of David scrawled on Budapest Fidesz office
A Star of David was found painted on the door of the sixteenth constituency Fidesz office in Fejér Lipót utca (Eleventh District), reports Magyar Nemzet. Constituency chairman József Kristóf says Fidesz condemns every form of hate-mongering, regards the case as... [read complete entry]
August 22, 2008, 10:38 CET
Sólyom expresses regret over Hungary's role in 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia
"We have nothing to celebrate, we have something to be ashamed of," says Hungarian state president on 40th anniversary of Warsaw Pact occupation. [read complete entry]
August 21, 2008, 08:54 CET
PM says "responsible patriotism" trumps "talking big"
Gyurcsány takes jab at opposition while handing out awards to ethnic Hungarians from abroad. [read complete entry]
August 18, 2008, 12:47 CET
National media watchdog pulled into drug-planting conspiracy
Lawyer alleged to be involved in purported frame-up of journalists turns to ORTT in fight against conservative television channel. [read complete entry]
August 14, 2008, 08:12 CET
MEP requests investigation into "anti-Roma" comic books
Letter to Budapest chief prosecutor says content of magazine with circulation of 45,000 goes against basic human rights. [read complete entry]
August 12, 2008, 09:56 CET
Far-right provocateur website blamed for threat on journalist
Controversy over who called for lynching of conservative essayist. [read complete entry]
August 08, 2008, 08:02 CET
Socialist spokesman slams Hír TV
Says conservative station "lacks credibility and is immoral" in wake of allegations of government framing of reporters for drug-dealing. [read complete entry]
August 07, 2008, 10:37 CET
Worker's Party announces campaign to legalize hammer and sickle
Fresh from freeing the red star from censorship, Party Chairman Attila Vajnai is hoping to do the same for the former Soviet symbol. [read complete entry]
August 06, 2008, 01:50 CET
Gov't again claims U.S. authorities acted against radical Hungarian website
Secret services minister says "terror threats" caused American government to close down kuruc.info. [read complete entry]
August 06, 2008, 01:25 CET
Youthful Socialist MP in savage e-mail assault on elderly former political prisoner
Speaking of name-calling in Hungarian politics, Socialist MP Zsolt Török (right) seems to have gone a bit overboard in a confrontational e-mail exchange with a retired Hungarian émigré who, just to make the whole thing that much more emotional, had... [read complete entry]
August 06, 2008, 12:27 CET
Call for peaceful cooperation in Hungarian politics causes outbreak of bickering, fear-mongering
As if we need any further evidence that Hungarian politics is mostly just a childish game of playground name-calling, a casual call by a politician for a bit more cooperation across partisan lines has led to lots of shouting and... [read complete entry]
August 05, 2008, 08:47 CET
Proposed bill to codify presidential veto over state honors
Legislation follows tensions over Sólyom's balking at medals for former Communists. [read complete entry]
July 18, 2008, 09:07 CET
New "Nazi hunter" group set up in Hungary
According to reports, association "will not always fully adhere to the law." [read complete entry]
July 17, 2008, 10:05 CET
U.S. Ambassador thanked for American censoring of Hungarian website
Roma affairs commissioner commends Foley for move to shut down kuruc.info, which had been hosted on American servers. [read complete entry]
July 14, 2008, 03:08 CET
Clandestine theater found screening anti-Semitic WWII propaganda film
"Jud Süss" said to be continually shown in Budapest cellar by distributors of Nazi and neo-Nazi paraphernalia [read complete entry]
July 09, 2008, 08:18 CET
European court overturns Hungarian prohibition on "communist" star
Strasbourg decision leaves ban on swastika, arrow-cross. [read complete entry]
July 02, 2008, 10:02 CET
MPs express concern as hate speech legislation voided
Socialist MPs Gergely Bárándy and Tamás Suchman expressed disappointment on Tuesday after the Constitutional Court voided legislation punishing hate speech, which had not been supported either by the cabinet or the Free Democrats. [read complete entry]
July 01, 2008, 09:21 CET
Constitutional Court rules against hate speech ban
The ruling was based off the decision that free speech would be too greatly restricted. [read complete entry]
June 20, 2008, 11:55 CET
Stinking Rába campaign posters cause stink in Brussels
A poster campaign run by MEP Péter Olajos to raise awareness of the pollution of the river Rába in western Hungary has met with the disapproval of at least one Dutch MEP, writes Index.hu. Corien Wortmann-Kool allegedly launched a tirade... [read complete entry]
June 12, 2008, 10:00 CET
Workers' Party chairman protests red star fine
Attila Vajnai faces imprisonment for protesting his right to use forbidden symbol of tyranny. [read complete entry]
June 05, 2008, 01:43 CET
1514 peasent revolt leader offers modern-day political message
This is the kind of "statueatory" incident that makes us smile, because a) there was some thought put into it, b) it didn't damage the statues in question. As you can see in the image above, the György Dózsa... [read complete entry]
June 04, 2008, 10:35 CET
Fidesz-run Budapest district takes law into own hands
District II government to fund police raids on Moszkva tér, to help clean up crime-plagued square. [read complete entry]
May 28, 2008, 12:35 CET
Alcohol linked to scandalous speeches
In a brilliantly speculative piece of political journalism by anti-Fidesz writer András Hont, news portal hirszerzo.hu explores the parallel between the loose-lipped speeches made by Hungary's top political leaders and their consumption of alcohol. Prior to the Balatonöszöd party conference... [read complete entry]
May 19, 2008, 09:20 CET
Parties clash on cordon ruling
MPs at loggerheads as charges are dropped against Fidesz MPs for dismantling the barrier around Parliament in February. [read complete entry]
May 16, 2008, 10:35 CET
Kossuth tér leader beaten by taxi gang
By way of illustrating the political confusion that currently splits Hungary, or possibly simply the national propensity to get abusive around motor vehicles, known leader and organizer of the "Kossuth tér protesters," László Gonda (pictured sporting a black eye), has... [read complete entry]
May 16, 2008, 09:40 CET
Far-right to take on hippies at drug legalization protest
A Sunday demonstration in favor of decriminalizing marijuana is likely to be met by far-right counter-demonstrators. [read complete entry]
May 07, 2008, 12:40 CET
May 07, 2008, 09:49 CET
Fidesz caucus leader calls out "bad host" Gyurcsány
Tibor Navracics says a 2003 dinner at the Gyurcsány's home degenerated into bitter political squabble. [read complete entry]
April 25, 2008, 09:42 CET
Budapest city council demands removal of nationalist statue
Mayor suspends session as right-wing demonstrators protest dismantling of "turul" monument [read complete entry]
April 11, 2008, 09:55 CET
Hungary's President and Prime Minister to attend anti-fascist demonstration on Friday
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány will take part in a counter-demonstration at 3 p.m. this afternoon against a demonstration organized by far-right extremists. President László Sólyom has also decided to visit the gathering and make a statement, Népszava reports. Police will... [read complete entry]
April 10, 2008, 09:39 CET
Radical right to again organize demonstration at ticket office
Blogger Tamás Polgár, widely known as Tomcat, is organizing another demonstration by radical right groups against a “Hungarian-hating” ticket office in the 13th District. Jobbik, Magyar Gárda, the Budapest chapter of the World Federation of Hungarians, the 64 Counties Movement,... [read complete entry]
Published every Wednesday, the Politics Hungary newsletter contains all the previous week's headlines from Politics.hu, as well as related stories from other All Hungary sites.