Orban wins, Jobbik grows

The outcomes of the Hungarian elections – that confirmed outgoing premier Viktor Orban, loved by his people but viewed with concern in Brussels, in other European capitals and by some religious communities – highlight a social and cultural trend that has become a political reality: the ongoing growth of extremist, populist formations in all of Europe, marked by xenophobia and anti-Semitism. These parties are generally considered “right-wing”, like the Front National of Marine Le Pen in France, or the extremist Jobbik, a Hungarian political movement with Nazi sympathies which gained almost a fifth of all Hungarian votes. But there are also are ‘left-wing’ populisms, that include renowned Syriza Greek party led by Alexis Tsipras. Hungarian polls. Conservative and nationalist politician Viktor Orban was re-elected leader in Budapest. He gained almost 50% of votes (although the turnout was less than 40%) on the basis of questionable economic performance, obtained with fierce deregulation measures and through initiatives aimed at attracting foreign investors. Orban had led the country in the years 1998 – 2002. He was re-elected Premier in 2010 with his party Fidesz, an affiliate of the European People’s Party that openly supported his electoral campaign. Over the past years Orban has carried out groundbreaking initiatives, accelerating reforms also with amendments to the Constitution that rang a bell of alarm in the EU, voiced by international commentators. The same elections took place in an atmosphere of advantage for Fidesz, with redesigned constituencies, support of public media, an aggressive campaign in terms of advertising. The centre-left coalition, the alternative to Orban, was left with little space for making itself known, and the outcome, over 20%, is considered good. Jobbik, on the other hand, made its way through to the sound of heated, xenophobic slogans, against Europe, against the institutions and the neighbouring nations. The Prime minister can count on Parliament support thanks to a generous majority premium, but he will not be able to ignore the fact that the success of Jobbik also raises serious political questions for Hungary. Le Pen, a symbol. After all, the result obtained by Hungarian extremists confirms the “anti-European tide” that recently found a continental symbol in Marine Le Pen. The recent elections in France have dangled the danger of a landslide victory in the upcoming European elections of all those formations that are opposed to Europe, the single currency – including solidarity among EU nations – the free movement of workers, the construction of the single market, the sharing of energy policies or migration, as well as cohesive European activity in the global arena. Movements resembling the Front National, or against Europe, are in the middle of the election campaign in the United Kingdom, in Scandinavian Countries, in The Netherlands, in Belgium, in Italy, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, just to mention a few. The democratic game. In all likelihood these parties – that will strive to find a common action once in Strasburg, owing to their strongly nationalistic wounds – will gain less than 25% of 751 available EP seats, but they are expected to voice their “No to united Europe”, heard across all corners of the old continent. After May 25 the problem will be twofold. First of all, EU institutions’ performance will necessitate an alliance between pro-European parliamentary groups in Strasbourg (EPP, Socialists & Democrats, Greens and Liberal-Democrats), expected to gain a large majority of votes. But there is also another, greater challenge: to find the way to place the “No to Europe” formations within the framework of the democratic process based on the respect of the State of Law, participatory democracy, traditional division of powers (legislative, executive, judiciary) and the peaceful relations between nations.