Viktor Orbán - Political Career - Second Premiership From 2010

Second Premiership From 2010

The European Parliament election results of 2009 foreshadowed a decisive victory in the 2010 parliamentary elections, where Fidesz won the outright majority in the first round on 11 April, winning 206 seats, including all 119 individual seats. After the second round of the elections they won a total of 263 seats in the parliament (out of 386), which is enough to change the Hungarian constitution. The new cabinet began working on legislation even before its inauguration. The sixth National Assembly was established on 14 May 2010. The representatives accepted a bill of dual citizenship, granting Hungarian citizenship to every Hungarian in the Carpathian basin and around the world, purportedly aimed at offsetting the harmful effects of the Treaty of Trianon, and sparking a controversy between Hungary and Slovakia. Though János Martonyi, the new foreign minister, visited his Slovak colleague to discuss the issue of dual citizenship, Robert Fico nonetheless stated that since Fidesz and the new government were not willing to negotiate the issue, which would be viewed as a question of national security. Ján Slota, Slovak government member and leader of the extreme right Slovak National Party, fears that Hungary wants to attack Slovakia and considered the situation as the "beginning of a war". As Prime Minister designate, Viktor Orbán firmly stated that he considers Slovak hysteria part of a political campaign. In response to the change in Hungarian citizenship law, the National Council of the Slovak Republic approved on 26 May 2010 a law stating that if a Slovak citizen applies for citizenship of another country then that person will lose his or her Slovakian citizenship.

Orbán took the oath of office on 29 May 2010. With 261 votes, the Hungarian Parliament accepted him as leader of the ninth government since the end of communism. The opposition parties (MSZP, Jobbik and Politics Can Be Different) did not accept the cabinet's program (107 votes). His first international visit was to Poland, as a symbol of establishing a central European alliance. Polish-Hungarian friendship has a long historical tradition.

In the autumn of 2010, Parliament passed a new media bill, setting up a new media council. The new members were immediately accused of being politically attached to Fidesz, since all members were elected by the two-third parliamentary majority. Their – factually non-existent – authority to supervise media, issue decrees, and issue fines of up to 200 million forints was also questioned, though all decisions of the council can be appealed at the Independent Court. Since 2010, these allegations are kept on board persistently by the international media in spite of the fact that neither the media bill nor other Hungarian regulations have given such competencies to the media authority, see Hungarian Media Council head Annamária Szalai's reactions. Still, the bill was widely criticized as jeopardizing freedom of the press in Hungary, however no specific provisions were named.

The European Commission criticized Orbán's second cabinet for its lack of compliance with economic deficit goals in 2010 and 2011, the nationalization of the country's compulsory private pension scheme and the cutting of the salary of state employees to a maximum of 2 million Hungarian forints (6.700 Euro) per month, including the Hungarian National Bank's director, claiming the government potentially undermined the independence of that institution.

Orbán's cabinet has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union from January to July 2011. Concerns have been raised about its performance, which has technically been good, the 6-pack of economic governance was almost approved the roma strategy was approved etc., but success was hindered by lack of political clout. This was partially caused by criticisms of the internal policies. like the ones relating to the controversial media law just passed in 2010, the Euroscepticism of the ruling coalition, and the lack of preparation of civil servants due to pervasive political patronage. Hungary's six-month presidency of Council launched in the European Parliament on 19 January 2011. Orbán put the economy at the top of the agenda for Hungary's six-month presidency of the Council of Ministers when he outlined his priorities to MEPs on Wednesday morning. The debate became quite heated at times as Orbán came in for criticism over Hungary's controversial media law. With the support of the Hungarian EU-Presidency, the EU finished the negotiations on the Croatian accession to the EU. Hungary elaborated the basic elements of a future European Roma-Integration Policy. Since the beginning of the revolution in Libya, Hungary has been representing the EU and the USA in Tripoli.

In 2010, a drafting process for a new constitution began to take place, was finalized by 11 April 2011, and was adopted by the Parliament on 18 April. It was signed into law by Pál Schmitt on 25 April and went into effect on 1 January 2012. The new constitution, called Magyarország Alaptörvénye (Basic Law of Hungary), contains an extended preamble called the National Creed which claims the period between 19 March 1944 (Nazi occupation of Hungary) and 2 May 1990 (first free election since 1945) Hungary had no self-determination. The preamble of the new constitution quotes the first line of the Hungarian national anthem 'God save the Hungarians', which has been evaluated as religious bias by mainstream media sources in Europe and in the United States. The new constitution has also changed the country's official name from Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) to Hungary (Magyarország), while the next sentence of the constitution has declared that the country's form of state is republic. This clause seems to be ignored by the critics. The symbolic act of changing the name of the country has led to fervent media allegations that Hungary has stopped being a republic.

The Hungarian government claims that the European Commission (EC) uses double standards as almost all criticized regulations can be found in similar or more limiting forms in other EU country legislations. Acknowledging this no discrimination argument, the EC has first requested only modest changes on the media bill, which the Hungarian party has rectified in early 2011. In early 2012, the EC has come up with the additional request that the Hungarian regulations has to be in line with the 'spririt' of the European regulations. This spiritual alignment is a precondition of EU’s approval on granting a circa 15 billion Euro standby IMF loan that Hungary badly needs to repel speculation against its national currency. The Orbán government has been repeatedly asking the EC to specify in concrete terms the legal measures the EC requests. The government refers to a press briefing on 10 April 2012 when EU spokesman Olivier Bailly has explicitly turned down the idea of formulating a definite list of requirements, stating that the government has to restore an environment in which investors can feel secure. However, Bruxinfo compiled the list based on previous official communication of which the government is totally aware.

The National Assembly passed a Fidesz constitutional amendment motion on 7 June 2011 that will effectively end early retirement for men. The amendment is primarily intended to send back to work retired law enforcement officers under 57 as well as those under 62 who are claiming disability benefits, but will not cut the preferential pensions of women, miners, chemists and artists. The Socialist Party declared its solidarity with the law enforcement unions and invited them to consultations to jointly formulate the basic principles that the Socialists could represent if they regain power. Jobbik said before the vote that it would appeal to the Constitutional Court on account of discrimination if law enforcement employees are deprived of their pensions. Law enforcement and fire services unions said they would go ahead with a planned demonstration for 16 June as talks with the prime minister on 8 June morning failed to bring an agreement over pension changes. Géza Pongó, head of the Independent Union of Police Employees, and Judit Bárdos, head of the Union of Law Enforcement Employees, agreed that the government’s proposal for pension changes is unacceptable. Two days earlier Orbán said in a TV interview concerning a series of demonstrations staged by trade unions of policemen, fire fighters, prison, guards and other employees in law-enforcement and disaster management, it was unacceptable if “keepers of public order throw smoke bombs or damage fire hydrants, thus violating laws and making threats.”

Wen Jiabao, the Chinese Prime Minister, arrived on a two-day official visit to Budapest on 24 June 2011. He was the first premier from China who visited Hungary since 1987 (when Hungary was still under communist rule). China will buy “a certain sum” of Hungarian government bonds and extend a one billion-euro credit line to Hungary, Wen Jiabao said in Budapest at a joint news conference with his Hungarian counterpart Orbán, who said Hungary had now entered into a new and major alliance with China. The meeting had also controversies: deputy chairperson of parliament’s human right’s committee Tímea Szabó has called for the leaders of Budapest’s police force to give evidence to the committee in connection with their handling of people who protested in support of Tibet. Szabó told MTI in a statement on 25 June that she would investigate personally on what basis the immigration authority (BAH) had called in to its office Tibetan refugees who were living in Hungary legally and had residential and work permits. The Politics Can Be Different (LMP) deeply condemns the police’s treatment of Tibetan refugees and activists demonstrating in support of Tibet. The Help Tibet Society wrote in a separate statement that staff of the BAH on 24 June evening had taken in to the BAH office Tibetan refugees living in Hungary. Further, police had blocked demonstrators from the site of a visit by the Chinese premier.

On 17 November 2011 the Ministry of National Economy said government is starting negotiations on a new type of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the course of scheduled consultations. Vice President of Fidesz Lajos Kósa said Hungary must not give up its core ambitions and can only sign an agreement for budget financing that will essentially not reduce the government’s economic control and independence. The Hungarian forint was rebounding on word that the nation is in talks on an IMF deal. Hungary’s currency had been battered of late by concerns about its high exposure to foreign-currency debt, which has hit households hard given the forint’s weakness. The euro was down 2.2% against the forint to HUF308.19, while the dollar slid 2.8% on 17 November. In the previous week Standard and Poor's and Fitch said they are weighing whether to downgrade it further, raising pressure on the government. Orbán said on public radio on 18 November that an IMF agreement will in no way lead to any limitations on Hungary's economic sovereignty, since the country can still finance itself from the markets, and said that investor confidence hasn't waned.

Economy minister György Matolcsy said in October 2011 the return to talks with IMF would be a "clear sign of weakness". He also said in the Parliament on 14 November 2011, just four days before the ministry's announcement, in a response to a Jobbik politician, "the government forming its economic policy against this three-letter institution ." The Hungarian Socialist Party welcomed the decision and said the government admitted the failure of its economic policy. Gábor Vona, leader of Jobbik stated the Orbán cabinet failed. The one and half-year austerity policy, which the cabinet bled almost all sectors and social groups, forced to people for a meaningless sacrifice. He also said Viktor Orbán and his government must resign. According to András Schiffer (LMP) when Fidesz announced "war of economic independence", in fact conducted an "adventurous policy" which failed. Schiffer called for resignation of Matolcsy. Gyurcsány's Democratic Coalition (DK) said Orbán's policy which is hostile-looking to the world and has isolation tends, failed. Gyurcsány demanded establishment of an new government in and the next budget is to be withdrawn.

Tens of thousands of people have been protesting in Budapest over Hungary's controversial new constitution on 2 January 2012, a day after it came into force. Opponents say it threatens democracy by removing checks and balances set up in 1989 when Communism fell. The protest was organized by independent NGOs, while opposition parties (LMP, MSZP, DK, 4K!) showed their support. The European Union and the United States had also asked for the law to be withdrawn. The dispute has cast doubt over talks on a new financing agreement with the EU and IMF, seen as vital for market confidence in the Central European country. However Fidesz said the new constitution, or basic law, improves the legal framework of life in Hungary. "Despite political debates we think it is an important value that for the first time, a freely elected parliament created the Basic Law," said Fidesz MP Gergely Gulyás, quoted by the Reuters news agency. Gulyás co-wrote the new law and shepherded it through Parliament.

The European Commission launched legal proceedings against Hungary, said José Manuel Barroso on 17 January 2012. The procedures concern Hungary’s central bank law, the retirement age for judges and prosecutors and the independence of the data protection office, respectively. One day later Orbán indicated in a letter his willingness to find solutions to the problems raised in the infringement proceedings. On 18 January he participated in plenary session of the European Parliament which also dealt with the Hungarian case. He told "Hungary has been renewed and reorganised under European principles". He also said that the problems raised by the European Union can be resolved “easily, simply and very quickly”. He added that none of the EC’s objections affected Hungary’s new constitution.

There was a hot debate in the session: Joseph Daul (EPP) noted that Hungary has undertaken many reforms in the past and is emerging from a period of poor economic conditions and severe problems of corruption. However, newly elected Socialist leader Hannes Swoboda (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats) said that essential issues, like the independence of judiciary – a breach of European values of democracy – are at stake. Guy Verhofstadt (Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) recalled different international organizations (such as Amnesty International) have raised serious concerns about the new Hungarian constitution, media law, and the central bank law. Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens-EFA), one of Orbán's largest critics said he should remember that the EU is a house that we are building all together because we are fighting for freedom and democracy here. Orbán should also remember that even if he has the majority, "the minority has the right not to live in fear". Several Hungarian MEPs also addressed: Socialist MEP Csaba Tabajdi said that it was the policy of Orban’s government and not the European Union, as the government claims, that was “punishing the Hungarian nation”. József Szájer (Fidesz) stressed that Hungary is a European democracy. Speaking on behalf of the Conservatives and Reformists Group, Lajos Bokros said that “the rule of law had been exposed to carpet bombing” in Hungary. On 21 January hundreds of thousands marched to express their support for the Orbán-government called "March of Peace for Hungary", asking the European Union an unbiased treatment for Hungary. On the 15 March, however, the number of participants on the pro- and anti-government events were about equal. In a speech to a conference organised by a think tank "Szazadvég", leaning toward the government, he said: "We need to very definitely walk our own way and resist pressure to introduce measures that are disadvantageous for Hungary in a very circumspect operation, in which elements of agreement, consensus, defiance and resistance need to be mixed, in a very complicated string of tactical actions,... This peacock dance of turning one down must be performed in a way that suggests that we want to be friendly."