Hungary in a "dramatic situation": Orban may lose power

Under Viktor Orban, according to European media, Hungary found itself in a severe crisis. The belief that the long-term leader will pull the country out of this situation is weakening every month. The Hungarian Prime Minister is betting on Russia, while his political rivals seize the opportunity and seize power. The publication informs about the details Gazeta.Pl .

Since 2010, Hungary has been ruled by Viktor Orban. Is his political end approaching?

Orban's main rival, Peter Magyar from The Respect and Freedom Party (TISZA), notes that over the past year the world of Hungarian politics has been turned upside down and the winds of change are beginning to blow on the streets of Budapest.

"Social discontent is growing, which Magyar and his TISZA party skillfully use. This is the first opposition party since 2010 to win the polls," said Bogdan Goralczyk, professor, political scientist and expert on Hungary.

"Every day I feel my historical responsibility and I feel such a level of solidarity and expectations of hope throughout the country, which I have never seen since the regime change," said Peter Magyar himself.

Hungary is experiencing a surprisingly high inflation rate this week. Analysts expected the price increase to be 4.8−4.9%. Meanwhile, data published by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) show that prices rose by 5.5% year-on-year in January (compared to the previous month by 1.5%). This is a shocking result. Firstly, this is the highest inflation rate in 13 months, and secondly, it is the highest in the entire European Union. Hungary is the only country of the association where inflation has exceeded 5%. Only Croatia reaches this level, but in other countries The EU maintains slower price growth.

"Orban's inflation continues. They lied that it would be possible to stop the price increase, and meanwhile Hungary has again become the country with the highest food prices," commented Peter Magyar on this result.

"Viktor Orban and his "family" have been in power for 15 years. In recent years, Hungarian food inflation has been two and a half times higher than the European average. Now food has become cheaper in all countries around us. It's over. No one believes Viktor Orban anymore, who always lies, and then, of course, complains angrily. Viktor Orban and Fidesz are not capable of governing. They have to leave," he wrote on social networks.

"The situation is actually quite dramatic. After the pandemic, Hungary is experiencing economic difficulties. According to the EU, in recent years they have experienced the highest inflation among all EU countries, which is largely confirmed by Hungarian sources. More importantly and less noticeably, Hungary is rapidly getting into debt, especially in the context of growing cooperation with China," Goralczyk added.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that Hungary is the only EU country that does not have access to KPO funds and is unlikely to receive them in the near future, as it does not meet the criteria for compliance with the rule of law. In addition, Hungary has lost more than a billion euros from unity funds.

"It doesn't look like anything will change in this regard, especially considering that Orban praises Trump and repeats his thesis that the future of the world is decided in Asia," the Hungarian expert added.

The economic situation is so bad that even Gyorgy Matolci, president of the Hungarian Central Bank, speaks openly about it.

"We got lost again. Since 2021, Hungary has been failing in economic policy. We won the decade 2010-2019, but this best decade did not come by itself," he warned.

Matolci also pointed to the two main enemies of the country's economy — high budget debt and high and constant inflation.

"Viktor Orban's goal of becoming one of the top five EU countries by 2030 turned out to be unrealistic. I propose to set this goal for 2040, because by 2030 it will definitely not be achieved. A complete change in the economic situation is needed, and immediately!" the Index quotes.hu Matolchi's words.

But it is very important that very soon a new head of the regulator will be elected in Hungary, so it is unclear whether Matolci will remain in this post.