Gábor ERŐSS Dialogue for Hungary – PM 11th Central European Round Table Vienna, 2015 Authoritarian tendencies in Central and South- East Europe and their effects on local politics Case Study: Hungary
1990-2010: a cold civil war - repeated clashes between ’left’ and ’right’ 2010-2014: the rise of an authoritarian regime - 2/3 supermajority of the Fidesz - Social rights restricted - Checks and balances almost suppressed - Centralisation and propaganda - Overwhelming majority of Fidesz in almost every city 2014- The ’’illiberal” State - 2/3 supermajority of the Fidesz and the Jobbik combined - Attack on NGOs - Hate speech as a Government discourse (against: EU, Refugees, Roma, as well as: Norway (!), Croatia, Serbia…)
Dialogue for Hungary (PM) protest against land grabbing
Orbán : “The new state that we are building is an illiberal state, a non- liberal state.” Completely and unilaterally rewriting the constitution; Hijacking all major institutions, from the Supreme Court to the office of the Attorney General; Systematically dismantling the system of checks and balances; Restricting the freedom of religious minorities; Controlling the press, with the public broadcast service resembling the worst propaganda machines of totalitarian regimes;
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC: Instituting an electoral system significantly favoring Fidesz, etc. STATE CAPTURE: Tailor-making the economy to fit the interests of government-friendly oligarchs; corruption is not an anomaly anymore, it’s the system itself AUSTERITY , esp. in education, health and social affairs. HIGH CARBON Industrialisation, transportation and investment policies ATTACKING NGO’s Raiding independent civil society groups denouncing them as foreign agents; HOLOCAUST RELATIVISM Erecting a memorial that denies any Hungarian responsibility for crimes committed during the World War II and the extermination of Hungarian Jews; STATE RACISM Institutionalising the school segregation of Roma
Orbán and Putin Orbán has clearly endorsed Putin’s model of autocratic leadership and authoritarian nationalism.
Our protest action against the Rosatom Power Plant in Paks
Local level: good practices… In a restricted number of municipalities/districts where Fidesz has no majority Our co-chair Gergely Karácsony won the mayor election in “Zugló” (14th District of Budapest). He is the first green mayor in a city in Hungary Also: 19th district, 20th district…
Local level: The authoritarian regime from below ”Public work” as a means for control and oppression, esp. in the countryside… Ózd …
Local level: The authoritarian regime from below. The 8th District Máté KOCSIS: former member of an extreme right party, actual mayor of the 8th District (Józsefváros), Communication Director of Fidesz , wannabee mayor of Budapest
The social aid issue The ”undeserving poor” ”Outsourcing” the control: a recently decentralised social care system The mayor appoints those who give or refuse various social transfers Cuts
The ’moral’ issue… Drogues: hate speech instead of prevention, help and care Hepatitis is spreading… LGBT: hate speech…
…And the moral panic … Hate speech against refugees too
Surveillance and violence… Surveillance cameras ”Civil guards” directed by a Fidesz’ local councilor The 20th of August smack in the face
The transparency issue ’Transparency is a ”liberal” trick’ Some concessions when put under pressure…
The housing issue … Hundreds of empty flats … Diminishing social housing Ejections Illegal use of EU funds for social housing (I lodged information against at the Budapest Prosecutor’s Office)
…and our fight for local democracy, non- violence, transparency, social justice and sustainability goes on…
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