Mastodawn

Niels🛰️Apr 13

Aline Blankertz

Yes, we should all celebrate Orban leaving office. It is a victory in the fight against autocrats - where Orban was a weird ally of the US AND Russia AND China.

But: This has come at a huge cost for any progressive movements in Hungary. Parliament is now run EXCLUSIVELY by right-wing, anti-migration parties. Leftists voted for Magyar to get rid of Orban.

Magyar will be an easier partner for EU institutions (also increasingly anti-migration). He is no ally for the left.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9vg782kx7o

Aline Blankertz Apr 13

Rebuilding leftist movements in Hungary will hopefully be easier under Magyar. But it is not a no-brainer and it will take a lot of time and resources. The coalition with Tisza reached its objective of ousting Orban.

Now it is time to build up a meaningful leftist alternative and keep Tisza in check as much as possible.

So to all of the "EU friends" here: Don't embrace Magyar. Just because he is your enemy's enemy, that does not make him your friend.

Nature Punk Apr 13

@alineblankertz we have to congratulate all the Hungarians who had to vote for the enemy of my enemy knowing that they only way to get rid of Orban was voting for Orban with the slightest indication of morals.

@alineblankertz

It's easy to forget that there were barely 20 (often chaotic) years between the soviet system and Orbán - just not long enough for civil society and other democratic institutions or community organisations to really grow strong roots.

A thriving 'third sector' - between the state and the private sector - is essential to functioning democracies, and I think to building leftist political movements.

Herman 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇾🇪🍋Apr 13

@alineblankertz Let’s see what he does and give him the benefit of the doubt.

Aline Blankertz Apr 13

@Herman
Don't take it from me, but talk to someone from Hungary to make up your mind. There is little ambiguity re who Magyar is and what he stands for. He is the lesser evil, no doubt, but "benefit of the doubt" would be extremely naive.

@alineblankertz @Herman I watched his election victory speech and I’m cautiously optimistic. He does stand for a clear separation between church and state, for freedom of (and from) religion, and promised to use his historic legitimacy to restore democratic institutions and reinstate checks & balances. He did say in a half-sentence that equality involves everyone regardless whom one loves, which is the greatest gesture toward lgbtq anyone with power did in Hungary,

@alineblankertz @Herman besides, currently there’s no leftist opposition and I doubt he can easily catch any more brainwashed fidesz voters by doing more right wing populism (they’ll vote the original) or that he has any incentive to drift further to the right, as this would instantly alienate his quite diverse supporters. I surely hope they wont build a new personality cult behind him, currently I’m carefully optimistic.

Herman 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇾🇪🍋Apr 13

@uint8_t @alineblankertz Me too.

@alineblankertz One step at a time. First, stop the bleeding.

@ticho @alineblankertz

It sucks having no good choices, but I’d rather be in a situation like Hungary or Canada or France or even England than the US. Kudos to voters everywhere who show up. It’s the most basic but most important first step.

Moving Pictures Apr 13

@alineblankertz It's where Canada is. We voted for a Conservative PM masquerading as a Liberal because the far-right wasn't palatable. We now have two right-wing parties controlling goverment. The left has been demolished.

It's exactly what Stephen Harper wanted 20 years ago, and he's won.

Cass🇨🇦Apr 13

@Moving_Pictures the difference in Canada is the focus on the economy instead of rolling back rights/programs - that's being left to the provinces.

an actual bus Apr 13

@Cass_m @Moving_Pictures [cries in Québécois]

Sanctorum Apr 13

@alineblankertz maybe the electorate will have learned a lesson for the future and continue to adjust the damage they caused in the past with their bad choices

Henrik Pauli Apr 13

@velvetguillotine @alineblankertz Hahaha, haha, hahahaha... yeah so allow me to gesture in the general direction of the 2nd coming of lord cheeto in the US.

I have very little doubt that of Fidesz retains enough voice to continue to wage its information war, they can gather supporters if Tisza cannot solve the shit they caused painlessly enough. Despite, you know, everything.

@alineblankertz @robchapman Another example of people voting for the most viable least worst option.

ЯØ81И Apr 13

@WTL @alineblankertz the world really is shit. We could try valuing all life, our environment and work together as a species for the betterment of everyone and everything, but instead we're 8 billion people, choosing some of the worst humans ever born to <cough> 'lead us', people, who would destroy you and your family just because something doesn't fit..and so, we're now stuck in a loop where to get the nasty dictator out, we have to burn our morals and vote for someone equally as horrible!

@robchapman @alineblankertz <very long digital sigh>

Robin Barton Apr 13

@alineblankertz I agree with what you say but it is still a victory

Aline Blankertz Apr 13

@Robo105
no disagreement whatsoever

maya_b 🇨🇦Apr 13

@alineblankertz

never let perfection get in the way of progress.

Orban's out, the work isn't finished and continues.

Aline Blankertz Apr 13

@maya_b
no disagreement whatsoever

Inc Hulk 🧪Apr 13

@alineblankertz Some of the first words of Magyar were to reassure the LGBT community that the evil persecution ends now, all people are equal. That is a brilliant start (and far from the so-called Christian-right). Child protection is also a repeated priority area (not the fake efforts made by right-wingers some of whom are implicated in abuse themselves).
I am very optimistic in Hungary.

@alineblankertz then this is a good case of "always take the lesser evil" once orban is gone they can build their way over center and center left to the left. Will probably be hard, but a good first step nevertheless.

Toni Aittoniemi Apr 13

@alineblankertz Let’s just see to it that following EU regulations on the rule of law and democracy can open the playing field to leftist politics once again. At least Tisza is committed to that.

I might add there is nothing new to left & right putting their differences aside to unmount a tyrant, happens all the time.

In my opinion, the political compass is actually much more opinionated on the liberal/authoritarian axis than the left/right axis.