Bad Leaders, Worse Opposition
Bad leaders beget even worse successors. That is why it is important to safeguard democratic values from bad leaders in the first place.
Public Versus Private: No Choice
There are private solutions, for healthcare, schools, and transport. They are popular or at least coveted. Yet, there is a catch. The state always lurks beneath the surface. Many taxi companies are owned by cronies and have a huge lobbying power. There is a fixed rate and no competition in Budapest.
New State of Danger in Hungary
As far as power goes, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán cannot complain. His party, Fidesz recently won its 4th consecutive elections, with a supermajority no less.
Five Recommendations for Liberals
The war in Ukraine disrupted the illusory peace in Europe. Illusory, because Russia has always been a looming threat to the integrity of the continent, albeit in a less tangible way than a full-on war.
War and Peace in Europe
War is once again ravaging Europe, again in Ukraine, again instigated by Putin. The war in Ukraine has been leading news in the media, and rightly so. Never must we forget the horrors of the ongoing war, or in fact any war.
Orbán’s Victory Raises Concerns about State of Rule of Law in Hungary
Though Fidesz supported sanctions against Russia, the government is not allowing the transfer of lethal weapons through Hungarian territory to Ukraine. The narrative that Fidesz supports peace while the opposition supports war was completely false, nevertheless it worked.
Poems of Liberty and Human Rights
Poems. Not the coolest word to start an article with. Too often does the word conjure up images of harrowing moments in school when we had to anxiously recite some poetry not understanding why the tacky lines matter at all. Yet, trust me, they do.
Propaganda Before Hungarian Elections
Reading news in Hungary is an arduous task. If you speak the language and open your browser to learn about current affairs, you’d be hit by a dystopian reality. Only a handful of independent online outlets exist, and the situation is worse in the print media or in places outside of the capital, Budapest.
Side Effects of Lockdowns
An exasperated call from a friend of mine during lockdown described the weary situation of kids during COVID-19. My friend’s child, as he told me fumingly, is attending his elementary school classes online. As expected, it didn’t go smoothly.
English Breakfast
The global trade Britain mastered greatly influenced our world today. Just think of the literary heroes everyone grew up with as a child. Not because they were compulsory in school but because they are culturally ubiquitous.
