From “Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemies” by David P. Gushee
A Degraded Judiciary and a War Against LGBT+ People
Hungary has also witnessed disturbing losses for judicial independence. Media independence and pluralism have likewise been compromised. Corruption and nepotism, heading in the direction of a classic kleptocratic state, have become obvious. Public universities are being privatized and taken over by private asset-management foundations led by pro-government figures. The government is directing which programs can and cannot be taught (for example, by eliminating gender studies programs for ideological reasons). NGOs have been harassed, at the prime minister’s instigation, for years. The vastly powerful Pegasus spyware program out of the NSO company in Israel has been used by the government for surveillance of political opponents, journalists, civil society leaders and many others.
In short, it appears that if there is a way for the regime to centralize power and weaken independent thought and democratic oversight, Orban finds it. This is autocratic rule with tremendous shrewdness and full awareness of the many nodes of political and governmental power that must be first neutralized, then seized, and finally weaponized.
Anti-LGBT+ agitation, directly from the central government in Budapest, is aggressive and brutal. An “anti-pedophile” law passed in 2021 as yet another way of demonizing sexual minorities, this time by the old trope linking them spuriously to the abuse of children. Freedom House describes the Hungarian government under Orban as waging “ideological war” on LGBT+ people. More broadly, “increasing lack of respect for vulnerable groups” targeted by government rhetoric has created a hostile and even dangerous environment for many.
Hungary has continued its role as the most Russia-friendly NATO and EU country, even since the invasion. This has isolated it from some of its former allies in the eastern part of the EU, including Poland, while perhaps protecting it from Russia’s wrath. And while Poland is patching up its relationship with the EU and regaining full access to EU funds, Hungary is not, and its financial losses as EU punishment for Orbaan’s democratic backsliding will be substantial. But all such losses will be used as antiliberal propaganda for the regime.