In its newest report, the Freedom House ranked Hungary as the least free country in Europe. This is following the government’s decision to vehemently (but unsuccessfully) oppose refugee quotas, infringing freedom of speech and civil liberties. Instead, there has been a focus on Europe’s ‘de-Christianisation’.

 

A democratic environment is, in my opinion, a country where government is accountable, the law prevails, and freedoms of expression and minority rights are respected. Since Orbán came into power in 2010 - over 1,000 laws were passed - many taking the country further away from these four democratic pillars.

 

The government’s accountability has been reduced for years now. Most notably, through Orbán’s own appointment of the media regulators. This came after the Prime Minister’s allies bought the main media outputs in the country.

 

The rule of appointing judges by a representative committee was abandoned, and Hungary’s electoral map was redrawn to make it easier for conservative parties to win.

 

Last month, Hungary introduced a law forcing NGO’s to pay tax on international funding and declared it will sanction groups which help ‘illegal migration’. Critics see this is as the government asserting their own priorities on civil society - a point I definitely find valid, since Fidesz even outlawed the renowned Central European University as part of its campaign against Philanthropist George Soros.

 

Hungary’s treatment of Syrian refugees, which has by far been the most aggressive due to the building of the razor-wire wall along its Serbian and Croatian border, also gives the country an undemocratic image.

 

Orbán has made his populist and far-right stance clear and criticising him has become increasingly hard within Hungary.

 

Given these developments, I would say Hungary barely qualifies as a democratic country.