1 hr 9 min
49. Can Orbán Be Defeated? with Boris Kálnoky & Dalibor Roháč Uncommon Decency
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- News Commentary
When exactly are electoral observation missions warranted in a democracy? Hungarians are heading to the polls on April 3rd this year, and a substantial share of the opposition to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán seems to fear that the election will be neither free nor fair. Last month, a coalition of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) officially requested that a team of election monitors be sent by the OSCE, which quickly acquiesced. Their call for applications, should you wish to help combat electoral fraud and ensure equal access to balloting, is open until February 11. By calling external observers, mind you, the opposition is making a larger point. Orbán, they claim, has spent the past 12 years in office amassing power at the expense of democratic institutions, silencing critical media, lining up the pockets of his cronies, buddying up to China and Russia, all whilst advancing an illiberal worldview that threatens Hungary’s good standing in the European Union (EU) and the rights of vulnerable minorities. Now that’s a thoroughly negative case, but what is the opposition actually for? Whilst Orbán is sure to run on his record securing economic prosperity for his people, it is far less clear what kind of government Péter Márky-Zai, Orbán’s challenger, will form if elected. With us this week to discuss we are pleased to be joined by Boris Kálnoky, head of the media school at Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), and Dalibor Roháç, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).
As always, rate and review Uncommon Decency on Apple Podcasts, and send us your comments or questions at @UnDecencyPod or undecencypod@gmail.com. Please consider supporting the show through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/undecencypod.
When exactly are electoral observation missions warranted in a democracy? Hungarians are heading to the polls on April 3rd this year, and a substantial share of the opposition to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán seems to fear that the election will be neither free nor fair. Last month, a coalition of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) officially requested that a team of election monitors be sent by the OSCE, which quickly acquiesced. Their call for applications, should you wish to help combat electoral fraud and ensure equal access to balloting, is open until February 11. By calling external observers, mind you, the opposition is making a larger point. Orbán, they claim, has spent the past 12 years in office amassing power at the expense of democratic institutions, silencing critical media, lining up the pockets of his cronies, buddying up to China and Russia, all whilst advancing an illiberal worldview that threatens Hungary’s good standing in the European Union (EU) and the rights of vulnerable minorities. Now that’s a thoroughly negative case, but what is the opposition actually for? Whilst Orbán is sure to run on his record securing economic prosperity for his people, it is far less clear what kind of government Péter Márky-Zai, Orbán’s challenger, will form if elected. With us this week to discuss we are pleased to be joined by Boris Kálnoky, head of the media school at Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), and Dalibor Roháç, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).
As always, rate and review Uncommon Decency on Apple Podcasts, and send us your comments or questions at @UnDecencyPod or undecencypod@gmail.com. Please consider supporting the show through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/undecencypod.
1 hr 9 min