Stunning loss of rightwing populist in Hungary carries symbolic significance for opponents of Donald Trump
For US Democrats seeking rays of light in the dark landscape of Donald Trump’s authoritarian onslaught, illumination has arrived from the unlikely source of Budapest.
Viktor Orbán’s stunning defeat in Hungary’s general election – ending 16 years of unbroken rule for his governing Fidesz party – carries symbolic and psychological significance for American politics out of all proportion to the central European country’s modest size and distance from the US.
People are high from huffing post-election good vibes, and in today’s world, even minor victories seem rare; so I don’t blame anyone for not being aware, but the guy replacing Orban is also a rightwing populist. He (so far) doesn’t appear to be one of Putin’s lapdogs, but he is still very much far right. This wasn’t a rejection of authoritarianism, or rightwing values, it was simply a rejection of Orban himself. I think it’s important to temper expectations here.
Yeah, bullshit statement. There are plenty of authoritarians that stay in office until forced out by coup and flee to a foreign country, die in office, or are killed in a coup. I think these are far more likely the case than anyone leaving on their own.
I’m surprised Orban accepted defeat and left peacefully. We’ll have to see if he pulls a trump and keeps shit talking from the sidelines to be re-elected later.
I mean, what’s to stop these guys from just calling off elections altogether? That’s what Hamas did in Gaza.
Most people in Europe understand what dictatorship is and don’t like the idea so people like Orban have to move slowly and operate as illiberal democracy. Blatantly ignoring the constitution would cause mass protests and some reaction from the EU and they try to avoid it.
Don’t know about y’all, but I don’t want to wait another decade before we handle America’s fascist problem.
Orban was in power for 16 years.
The only good thing Hitler did was kill himself. I hope Trump will be capable of doing one good thing too. It’s not a question if it will fall, but when. So far in history, fascist regimes didn’t survive for long.
USSR survived for 70+ years (and russia is back to square 1 for a at least 2 decades now). North Korea almost 80 and counting.
So I really don’t know… A European country has many checks and balances that other countries don’t have.
As for the USA, what’s the ultimate check for the most powerful country in the world if their own systems don’t work anymore?
USSR: not fascist. North Korea: not fascist.
A few countries had a fascist regime for a longe period, but it all ended. See this list.
The countries with a longer period: Spain, Syria, Haiti, South Africa, Portugal, Lebanon.
I’d argue USSR was fascist in its nature, and I judge by Eco’s definition.
It was nationalistic, and it was totalitarian. Hence, the debated term “red fascism”. Of course, ideology was different on paper, but the state often operated on fascist principles. (As multinational state built on suppression and discrimination).
That being said, USA is not a fascist state, despite the past and present movements.
USA is not a fascist state
Debatable. It’s 2 political parties are right wing and alt right. They still have legal slavery. There is systematically enforced apartheid. Throughout history they committed war crimes and their economy ran on wars. To this day. They have been anti immigration since after they immigrated themselves. Their nationalistic focus is deeply anchored in its education system and culture.
Eh. Hitler blew his brains out because he was on the cusp of being captured and undoubtedly executed.
Gonna take that for Trump to do the same, and even then, I doubt he would. Too full of himself.
I’m fine with a Gaddafi or Mussolini ending.
Here in the Netherlands we once ate parts of our prime minister after lynching him and his brother.
What in the Dutch fuck?
His ego would never allow it. He would nuke the entire planet before offing himself. Unfortunately.
No, no, no. He shouldn’t get the easy way out.
I hope he lives for a long time, and that he spends that long time in prison for the things he did.
He already lived for a long time, and every minute he lives he does horrible stuff.
Would that still be the case if sentenced and imprisoned?
Yes. He has too much power, wealth and influence. He will use it to destabilize any of his opponents and country. He will try anything to get out. He even became president a second time to avoid prosecution for sexually abusing children, among other crimes he committed, for which he just lost the first case already.
Prisons are not supposed to be places of torture.
Prisons are supposed to be rehabilitation centers. Basically hospitals with doctors to help people recover from their illnesses.
In what sense are they supposed to be rehabilitation centres? Prisons have always been places of punishment, and places where we can remove people we don’t believe are safe in society. Rehabilitation is one of their aims, and it would be nice if it were the main one, but I don’t think that is functionally true almost anywhere in the world.
It’s literally called the “department of corrections”
And, yeah, loads of States basically give you an apartment and excellent resources to help with your recovery. Including the ability to commute to a university during the day.
Good point, although we’re way past rehabilitation in this case.
Yeah but people still lost 16 years of their lives under his bullshit.
The thing about policies are that they have longer effects than the tenure of those that implemented them.
Executing Donyy Shitpants tonight wouldn’t undo all of the damage his administration has done.
For example, the damage Doge did to federal agencies might take decades to recover from and that’s only if there’s a nonpartisan effort to fix it.
Executing Donyy Shitpants tonight wouldn’t undo all of the damage his administration has done.
I mean I’m 99.999% sure you’re right, but let’s give it a try anyway?
I’m not saying we can’t do it anyway. I’m saying we’d have to get rid of a ton more people and make a concerted effort.
This isn’t getting fixed without a revolution, really.
It’s going to take years, if not decades, to even identify the extent of the damage done by doge
I’m not sure people are ready to accept that America will most likely be in a state of decline for years, if not decades. Some of what we’re experiencing won’t be fixed during our lifetimes.
That’s how important voting is and why it should be taken extremely seriously.
Actually it would give pause to the next wannabe dictator. Violence is sometimes the correct course of action
man you must believe some pretty crazy shit. give us another morsel from your beautiful diversity
So, if youre from murica ,act now ,go voting midterm
And primaries before that.
And look for other things you can do to help. Voting is very important (they wouldn’t do voter suppression/worse otherwise) but is just one tool in your toolbox of political action.
Yeah, bullets still work.
Came here to say these people have physical bodies lol
Free Luigi Mangione
This gets to the heart of the issue. The article would have us wait for an election to magically wipe away everything wrong
Hitler also taught us how to deal with this.
journalism professors of the near-future will refer to this article for one of two definitive reasons.
And the guy who replaced him is just as bad.
Slightly but significantly less bad. For now.
Why?
