Hungarian Conservative

The voters of Wisconsin voted to amend their state constitution, putting stricter election rules in place. Also, just like in all other swing states, the Republican primary turnout outnumbered that of the Democrats. However, President Biden got a higher vote total (due to his higher vote share) than President Trump in a swing state primary for the first time—what does this all mean?

‘There is an evident deficit in competence between the right-wing and left-wing organizations in this country. Part of it has to do with competent, otherwise not ideological people gravitating toward the side more likely to win. In cases like the so-called “alternative referendum” initiative that deficit is put on glaring display.’

For Hungary, this is an unmitigated disaster. While Robert Fico’s return to power in Slovakia offers some reason for optimism, Hungary’s northern neighbours certainly will not replace the Poles as steadfast, influential allies in Europe.

In several countries of the European Union, the concept of referendums linked to the enlargement of the Union is well known. In 2016, the Netherlands held a referendum on the adoption of the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. The majority of voters rejected the agreement, but as it was only an advisory referendum, so the result did not ultimately bind the Dutch government. France’s constitution requires a referendum to be held before any future EU enlargement. I see no reason why Hungary should not be the next country to have such a plebiscite.

While Prime Minister Morawiecki stated at PiS’s last congress before the 15 October elections in Katowice that Polish voters would in less than two weeks decide whether Poland becomes a ‘European land, a European province,’ or remains a sovereign country, a large opposition rally was held in Warsaw.

The confetti cannon has been fired and the Polish campaign is officially underway: at the beginning of August, President Andrzej Duda set 15 October as the date for the parliamentary elections, an event that is making not only the Poles but also Hungarians hold their breath.

The sincerity of the concerns of Belgian politicians about Hungary’s Child Protection Act is cast into doubt by the fact that, according to statistics published by the Belgian police, forced marriages involving minors and illegal child marriages have been an unresolved problem for more than a decade in Belgium.

For nature enthusiasts, a visit to the picturesque shores of Lake Fertő/Neusiedl is an absolute must. The beauty of Lake Fertő and its captivating surroundings has earned it a spot on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. It was the joint efforts of Austria and Hungary that resulted in its inclusion on the list, and today the two countries’ have joined forces to safeguard the national park that spans both sides of the border—on the Hungarian part this territory is called the Fertő-Hanság National Park.

Changing decision-making in areas crucial to state sovereignty would create a specific system of majority tyranny where, although it would be easier to adopt a Council position and bring together a majority of votes, political divisions would be further deepened and the democratic functioning and legitimacy of the Union as an institution would be undermined, and the long-term consequences of this would be unforeseeable in today’s already uncertain times of crisis.

Hungary’s green party, LMP vocally objects to the planned investments on environmental grounds. First, it started organising a local referendum in Debrecen on the matter. Although the party did get a green light to collect signatures for the plebiscite, it never actually began working on implementing its initiative.

The Orbán administration has committed to spending at least two per cent of the country’s GDP on defence by the end of 2024, a commitment made in 2014 by all NATO members but something many NATO countries have not yet honoured. Hungary, in fact, is set to achieve the two per cent threshold by the end of this year, before the deadline.

In a referendum on 14 December 1921, the town of Sopron voted to remain part of Hungary, for which it has been celebrated as the town of loyalty and freedom ever since.

On Tuesday Kansas voted on an amendment that was supposed to remove abortion rights protections from its state constitution. The majority of Kansans rejected the amendment in a referendum that saw a record high turnout.

Albeit due to a low turnout the referendum was invalid, the overwhelming majority of those who cast valid votes supported the government’s position.