Hungary remains part of the European Union, but its actions contradict the fundamental principles of the Union. Elections, although held at regular intervals, are not free and fair. Even though constitutional institutions do exist, they do not operate in a manner befitting such institutions; that is, they do not act as checks and balances on governmental power but instead facilitate its operation.
Read the full publication about the topic, which has been prepared by five Hungarian NGOs: Eötvös Károly Policy Institute, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, K-Monitor, Mérték Media Monitor.
According to the publication, although elections are held at regular intervals in Hungary, they do not serve the objective of free and fair political competition but instead aim to ratify the government's hold on power.
Through its actions and rhetoric, the Hungarian government has claimed that any criticism of the government is an attack against the nation, which is why it says such views must be excluded from debates about public affairs. Campaigns have been launched to personally discredit prominent critics of the government.
The publication says that the Hungarian government often looks the other way when private persons unlawfully perform policing, border protection or other state responsibilities, and when they resort to violence against other private citizens in the process. At other times, it deliberately outsources state functions to ensure that the fundamental rights that limit the state's scope of action do not apply in politically sensitive situations.
