Hungary 2018: Behind the Scenes of Democracy
A look at two very different pre-election campaigns in Hungary in 2018. The government side of Fidesz bet everything on one card: fear. What can opposition coalition representative Ferenc Gyurcsány offer? Nearly three years have passed since the migration crisis of 2015, yet Hungary seems to have experienced nothing but threats to the country. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has authoritarian tendencies, stokes fear in the population with talk of Islam, Soros and Brussels. Only he can hold back the frenzied hordes and stand up for traditional values. At least that was the picture presented by the Fidesz government party machine before the last election. One politician who refuses to wage an irrational campaign based on fear is Ferenc Gyurcsány. His struggle illustrates the current state of events not only in Hungary but also in many other countries where populism is on the rise.