How I see current authoritarian political changes in Hungary appearing in people's everyday life

Everyday Life in Socialist Hungary

Sophie Emilie Beha

• Publisher: GRIN Verlag
• Year: 2020
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9783346108456
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Politics - Other International Politics Topics, grade: 1,0, Eötvös Loránd University (Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem), language: English, abstract: On the following pages I will outline the current political situation, define everyday life and then talk about the consequences of change in Hungary. Spending my semester abroad in Hungary is more due to chance than it was a personal decision. Originally I wanted to go to Istanbul in Turkey. In addition to Western culture, one thing that interested me most about this country was the lack of press freedom. I wanted to know what it's like to live in a country where press freedom and freedom of expression are not self-evident. However, at a relatively short notice, a student from the Netherlands was jailed in prison and my university ended its cooperation with Istanbul. There were only a few countries to choose from, one of which was Hungary. And since the situation of freedom of the press and freedom of expression are not exactly the same but similar to Turkey, I decided to spend my semester abroad in Budapest. After living in Budapest for the past few months, I got an insight into daily life in Hungary. During my time here, the elections took place (8.04.2018) and I found myself in the midst of a political change that, of course, also influenced everyday life. In the time period before the election, the country was obviously in a tense atmosphere. Election posters lined every street, every path. Fidesz pens were distributed in the pedestrian zone, Fidesz advertisement was in the mailboxes. No one talked about their own political opinions in the street, but it became visible: at the partys' electoral posts in Budapest, the post of Momentum party at Deak Ferenc Square was almost unremarkable, while the Fidesz or Jobbik posts were well under pressure, or in bars, in left autonomous centers like the Gólya or Auróra, Orbán was mocked, and elsewhere, right-wing people tried to intimidate other-minded people. The elections on 8. April 2018 were a great victory for Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz party. Fidesz reached a two-thirds majority, although the opposition has received more votes thanks to the Hungarian electoral system, Viktór Orbán is now in power for a another four years and his policies will of course have an impact on citizens' everyday lives.