Political situation in Hungary

Hungary votes on new laws against LGBT rights

The Hungarian parliament will vote on Monday on changes to the constitution that further restrict the rights of LGBT people, among other things, AFP writes. The bills are part of what Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called “Easter cleaning”.

The bill establishes, among other things, that there are only two genders and that children’s right to “proper physical, mental and moral development” is above all other fundamental rights except the right to life.

Another major change in the legal package will make it possible to strip individuals with dual citizenship of their Hungarian citizenship, even if they have been Hungarian citizens since birth.

Analyst: “Hungary resembles Russia – soft Putinism”

Critics believe that the constitutional amendments that are expected to be voted through in Hungary during the day will further push the country in an authoritarian direction. Szabolcs Pek, chief analyst at the Iranytu Intezet think tank, told AFP that it can be compared to developments in Russia under Putin.

“You can see it as a kind of soft Putinism. People are not falling out of windows, but the government continues to limit the space for opposition politicians, journalists and civil society,” he said.

Pek believes that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been dragged down by declining support, is presenting the bills to regain control of the political agenda ahead of next year’s elections.

“In that way, he has succeeded because now no one is talking about poor public services or the weak economy anymore,” he said.

The legislative changes that parliament will vote on on Monday concern, among other things, the rights of LGBT people and the possibility of stripping people of their Hungarian citizenship.

Hungarian opposition promises to bring the country west

Péter Magyar, leader of Hungary's largest opposition party Tisza, promises to bring the country closer to the West and the EU if his party wins elections next year, AFP reports. In recent polls, Tisza is ahead of the ruling Fidesz party, and Magyar appears to be the politician with the best chance of seriously challenging Prime Minister Viktor Orbán since he came to power in 2010.

- Our homeland Hungary will once again become a proud and reliable NATO ally. Hungary will once again become a full-fledged member of the EU, Magyar said in a speech on Sunday.

He also said that the system built during Orbán's time in power cannot be repaired or reformed, but "only replaced."

- And we will do that legally and democratically, but purposefully. We will break the regime, Magyar said.

Political situation in the UK
British politicians charged – bet money on election day

Several conservative British politicians are being charged for having bet money on the day the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would call a new election, several media outlets report. In total, the indictment includes 14 former employees of Sunak and a bodyguard.

With the help of insider information, the defendants were able to make big money when Sunak chose to call the election unexpectedly early.

“It was indiscreet of me, but not a crime and I want to apologize,” writes one of the defendants, Craig Williams, in a post on social media.