"Free" Elections? (English / Angol)

If you are here maybe you heard about our brand new tax on internet use. Or maybe even about our little big VAT scandal. You might think those politicians in FIDESZ are morons. You might wonder how and why we have elected them. Let me explain a few things. A long story short: FIDESZ won by landslide both in 2010 and in 2014, but for very different reasons. But both are tied to two problems of Hungarian society: Corruption and paranoia. In that order. 

Corruption isn't limited to accepting bribes, forum shopping, etc. but it is also tied to a lot of "favor for a favor" deals. And it also means you often feel that connections are important. Favor for a favor. Support for support. As you see politicians earned some key "brown-nose" supporters by this system. And soon brown-nose was the norm (my no isn't, by the way). The problem with those supporters is tied to how the human mind works. If your supporters would tell you that even your dumbest ideas would worth a Nobel prize, and that any of your opponents are spineless, hateful beings who attack you only to grab power and they are worse than the devil... sooner or later you would start believing in that bullshit.

When you feel you are the knight on a holy quest, and your opponents are worse than devil and you will see real or imagined attacks everywhere and cannot take criticism, some would believe you have paranoid schizophrenia. And no sane man would trust you with his money or with his votes. Our politics is infected by these diseases, and supporters follow their leader faithfully... It is rather bad. 

And some parties have their charismatic leader. Mr. Orbán you might know from the recent news. Mr. Gyurcsány is someone you have heard about. Who was him? A politician dumb enough to speak against this system, when he is part of this system. And a politician bashing his own party, his own politics for incompetence, lies, etc. won't get far. Even if he spoke privately with the elite of his party he was soon betrayed from within. Idealist and charismatic. Naive, but as he had no solid plans a bit incompetent. With some good ideas and insight, but some terribly bad moves. So all in all a politician most of you would never elect. 

So all in all, both parties had some supporters. But in 2010 at least 3 key groups also voted for FIDESZ. Those who felt the MSZP as a symbol for these problem and would even vote for the devil to replace them. Those who feared FIDESZ. Because last time they won, regions where they weren't the popular "suffered". And those who thought there is no big conspiracy involving all politicians in one party or other. Most of them are honest men. So it is wise to vote for the victor. At least for his party, as this way our representative and the government might find some ground for cooperation. In 2010 I was in this third group. 

In 2014 we had some new reasons. If the opposition cannot agree on anything at all except that they see FIDESZ as worse than the devil... What would happen if they win? Of course none of those parties would be able to run the government. Now remember the fear part from 2010? That was present as well. And we knew that FIDESZ gave "lifelong positions" to some friends. And those friends would have a potential to block the government from functioning. And to replace people in those positions is often questionable, as their positions should be independent from day to day politics. 

And here comes the problem we had. FIDESZ is a member of the EPP. When EU discussed some laws made by FIDESZ, EPP protected them from all sanctions. If EPP would protect those men in position and punish any government who tries to replace them, the country would be in ruin. And so far EPP was concerned about the fact FIDESZ is part of EPP and votes with them. And ignored everything else. If EPP and its member parties like CDU an CSU follows the same pattern we are doomed. And if they decide not to protect democratic safeguards and risk German interests to keep more votes supporting EPP, would they change their mind when their friend would ask them to do their job just once and protect such safeguards? 

Ohh, and OSCE made interesting notes about our elections. But I am sure EPP are happy to have FIDESZ and KDNP in their ranks, as long as they can keep important votes coming at a few decision. Looks like EPP and its members (CDU, CSU) would even sleep with the devil if that would give them more power. 

Normally I say FIDESZ won, because the opposition did everything they can to lose. I would normally attribute it to incompetence. And in some cases greed. Or to how they can see each other. And feel they are "even worse" than FIDESZ. But sometimes I feel they don't even want to win. They just want to survive as the strongest democratic opposition. And hope someday we will have an election that isn't influenced by fear. After all it is uncertain if any party would survive a victory. Because there are certain people in key places. And also because how EPP and with them Europe seems to work.

We regret that our taxes are unfair for German companies. But if members of CDU and CSU support FIDESZ in EU and we see these dangers we have very limited means to stop them. If you represent companies affected by this regime, if you are an investor of those companies, think about it: this is how Europe works. 

So please, if you are annoyed by any stupid moves from our government, they manage to hurt your interests with a questionable law, don't blame the Hungarian people. Blame how EU and EPP works. And if you are concerned share these views with some of your friends.