Europe politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
11 hours agoWhy US and Russia are backing Viktor Orban in Hungary election
JD Vance's visit to Hungary aims to support Viktor Orban amid a contentious election, reflecting shifting US-Russian relations.
The so-called troika of tyranny in Latin America, the dictatorships of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, was always a misleading oversimplification. Despite sharing some common elements due to their authoritarian resilience, 21st-century dictatorships were never a homogeneous bloc.
I hope that colleagues like Orban will not become accomplices of Putin and Lukashenko. Because if he blocks the EU 90 billion intended for us, for weapons-which, by the way, are not his money-then from a historical perspective, Orban will become an ally of the fascist Russian regime.
Coromoto Escalona, a 35-year-old woman, was preparing her baby's feeding bottle when she heard some strange noises in the house. It was two o'clock in the morning. She wondered whether the fridge had broken down, since it sometimes made strange noises when it was damaged. Her eldest daughter, who was scrolling on WhatsApp, shouted from her room: Mum, they're bombing us.
Discussion was tough and rough, but Viktor is still not budging, one European official told Reuters. Another official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential discussions between leaders, said that everyone is increasingly angry with Orban.
Grappling with the loneliness epidemic, the damaging role of social media on face-to-face socialising, and young people's struggles to interact with peers in the post-pandemic era, psychotherapists look for an explanation in the lack of 'community'. Sociologists talk about community as a solution for childcare shortages and the best way to support nuclear families. Anthropologists remind us about the power of collective rituals, and bring up examples of culturally diverse models of communal life.
Orban is currently facing a tough re-election fight against opposition leader Peter Magyar, who has presented the first realistic challenge to Orban's grip on power in years. Last week, President Donald Trump posted a glowing endorsement on his Truth Social account, calling Orban a a truly strong and powerful Leader who fights tirelessly for, and loves, his Great Country and People, just like I do for the United States of America.
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe, Such boastings as the Gentiles use, Or lesser breeds without the Law- Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget-lest we forget! Naked imperialism is an ugly thing, and that contemptuous phrase, "lesser breeds without the Law," unsettles any contemporary reader of "Recessional."
Hungary is no stranger to extremely polarized election campaigns. For decades now, Victor Orban has whether in government or in the opposition followed the same playbook: Starting months ahead of the polls, he has run campaigns that suggest the very survival of the Hungarian nation is at stake. In these campaigns, he styles himself as the only one who can save Hungary and its people from evil and the threat of destruction at the hands of the country's enemies.
The United States' top diplomat Marco Rubio traveled to Eastern Europe on Sunday for talks with the conservative leaders of Hungary and Slovakia, both of whom are aligned with US President Donald Trump. The visit comes a day after Rubio, who is also Trump's national security advisor, urged Europeans to defend Western civilization in a speech at the Munich Security Conference.