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Mate Hajba

ABOUT Mate Hajba
Director of the Free Market Foundation, which advocates economic freedom, civil rights and tolerance. He is also the Vice President of Civic Platform, which runs anti-racist campaigns and promotes democratic values. He is interested in the relationship between the state and the individual and in the concept and history of liberty. He writes for international press on issues such as intolerance in Hungary and international relations. To promote the concept of individualism, liberty, tolerance and free market, he co-founded a youth organization named Eötvös Club.
Fighting Back against Populist Scaremongering on Immigration and Gender
Politics
Fighting Back against Populist Scaremongering on Immigration and Gender
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / October 9, 2024
Populist parties raise important questions but offer terrible answers, a weakness others should exploit. Populism is by no means a new phenomenon, but recent years have seen a clear rise in parties turning to a more authoritarian, populist strategy of winning over voters. Now, the populist movement has managed to establish a strong position in Europe, and although its popularity is not currently rising, it is not diminishing either.
Regulators Are Blocking Access to Essential Medication
Politics
Regulators Are Blocking Access to Essential Medication
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / October 9, 2024
When it comes to healthcare and access to medication, regulators need to get out of the way. There is an ongoing debate about cannabis liberalization, but there is another drug which needs to be made more readily available: epinephrine, an essential medicine against severe allergic reactions. Epinephrine, a life-saving medicine, is not an over-the-counter drug. It requires a prescription, given to those who have known allergies. This needs to change.
Banish Magic from Politics
Politics
Banish Magic from Politics
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / October 8, 2024
Magic had influenced humankind since time immemorial until the age of reason started to disenchant the world. Unfortunately, magical practices still affect our lives. Thanks to the warped politics in some corners of the modern world, such as some far-right movements and the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin, magic is still leaving a sorry and unwelcome footprint on politics today.
Regulations Are Capping Our Freedoms
Economy
Regulations Are Capping Our Freedoms
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / July 24, 2024
Regulations are suffocating our freedoms, interfering with our lives, livelihoods, and comforts. Freedoms should be the priority of decision makers, but even the most basic freedoms such as those of trade and movement, vitally important principles in the EU, were set aside on the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Voting Reforms Are Needed in Hungary
Politics
Voting Reforms Are Needed in Hungary
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / June 26, 2024
On June 9, Hungary held the elections for the European Parliament along with its local elections to choose mayors and councilors. The elections saw a record turnout of 58.1 %, but the most interesting election, the Budapest mayoral election with a turnout of 60.51%, resulted in a very high number of spoiled ballots, at 2.98%.
Do Not Let Terrorists Win
Politics
Do Not Let Terrorists Win
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / June 25, 2024
Israel\'s human rights record is not untarnished, a fact which is amplified in the recent war in Gaza. It is right that Israel should be held accountable for its actions. However, this certainly does not mean that Israel does not have the right to defend itself against Hamas and other Iranian proxies, even if war measures are necessary. Nor should it relativize the horrors committed by the oppressive terrorists who attacked the civilians of a democratic country.
Who Should Punish Orbán?
Politics
Who Should Punish Orbán?
BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / June 25, 2024
Hungary has been fined an unprecedentedly large amount for the severe violation of EU law over the rights of asylum seekers. However, this is not about Hungary\'s stance against the oppressive EU as the Hungarian governing party Fidesz wants to depict but about the party coming at odds with its ever-swaying populist positions. Yet the Hungarian voters, rather than EU activists, should punish the Hungarian government.