What's up with Hungary?

[Stranger in a strange land]

I feel much better when I forget about Hungary. What's happening there is so heartbreaking that living with the thought is just impossible.

So it's really awful there, then? Is it Greek levels of far-right insanity? I'd like more info.

Consider this a mostly uninformed and short summary, but I believe what happened is that the Hungarian right was elected in a landslide few years ago and have since been whittling away the independence of the judiciary and press, making the country an all around less democratic place. The biggest problem with that, is that the fastest growing potential rival (Jobbik) is WORSE, being a sort of ultra-nationalist, Hungary-for-the-Hungarians, almost neo-nazi party. So, with the only options being frying pan or fire, people aren't too hopeful about the political future there.

Hungary is the most worrying place in Europe these days, even more than Greece. If the European Project fails, it would be a setback: a big one to be sure, but one that could be recovered from in 10-20 years. If Europe slides back to its old pre-World War II ways of racial hatred and ultranationalism, the results for the entire world will be much, much worse.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Hungary is the most worrying place in Europe these days, even more than Greece. If the European Project fails, it would be a setback: a big one to be sure, but one that could be recovered from in 10-20 years. If Europe slides back to its old pre-World War II ways of racial hatred and ultranationalism, the results for the entire world will be much, much worse.

It's always useful looking back in History. In the case of Hungary, the country was ruled by a conservative and authoritarian former admiral of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, Miklós Horthy. He was in office between 1920 and 1944 and was a close ally of Hitler, at least until the course of the war became ugly and the Magyar nation was in the verge of being invaded by the Red Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikl%C3%B3s_Horthy

The contexts are not exactly the same but it has been pointed by many that the economic crisis and the decadence of Europe are factors that contribute to the surge of authoritarian, ultranationalist, xenophobic and anti democratic feelings in general.

PS: Why is that photo posted above? Hungarian girls are better looking for sure.

All the more worrying because the analogy goes even further: these guys deposed Horthy when he tried to quit the war.