Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians have fled the hopelessness and livelihood crisis under Orbán’s corrupt regime, which is enriching itself at a dizzying pace. Hungarian families are living on the edge of subsistence, inflation is skyrocketing, and Hungary has become the poorest and most corrupt member state of the European Union. The Fidesz government deprived people of their future by seizing their private pension savings, while their cronies became billionaires. The government suppresses free media, harasses journalists, and under the leadership of Chief Prosecutor Péter Polt, the judiciary serves the political interests of the regime, closing investigations as ordered. Hungary is no longer a democracy but an oligarchic dictatorship where Orbán only finds company at the tables of Eastern dictators. This regime has stolen the present and the future of the Hungarian people.

The Orbán regime’s 14 years: Pillaging a country and brutal abuses of power

In 2010, Viktor Orbán and Fidesz gained power in a landslide victory and immediately began building a political and economic system now known as the National Cooperation System (NER). One of their first moves was to confiscate people’s pension savings, which from the beginning demonstrated the true face of the government: seizing complete control over people and the economy, stripping away economic freedoms, and placing citizens’ financial security at risk.

The Seizure of Private Pension Savings: Orbán’s burden on the people since the beginning

One of the Orbán government’s first measures in 2010 was to take away people’s private pension savings. Nearly 3,000 billion forints worth of savings were seized from citizens with the promise that individual accounts would be created, where everyone could track their contributions and expected pension benefits. However, this system has never materialized, and people’s pension future remains uncertain as the government has squandered the funds. The elimination of private pension savings has placed a tremendous burden on citizens, especially in the current demographic crisis, where the working-age population is shrinking, and fewer contributors support the aging generation.

The Burden of National Debt on Every Hungarian’s Shoulders

According to the latest data from the Orbán government in 2024, Hungary’s national debt exceeds 45 trillion forints. If we divide this staggering amount by the population, it turns out that every single Hungarian citizen, from infants to the elderly, is burdened with nearly 4.6 million forints of debt. So, while the government claims to protect the country from the “Brussels bureaucrats” and the “Western financiers,” in reality, every Hungarian is carrying a massive debt load.

While the majority of people struggle with everyday survival, Viktor Orbán’s inner circle is getting richer at a dizzying pace. Orbán’s family, friends, and political allies have all become privileged members of the National Cooperation System (NER). István Tiborcz, Orbán’s son-in-law, who is a constant winner of government tenders, has climbed into the ranks of Hungary’s richest individuals in just a decade. Lőrinc Mészáros, Orbán’s childhood friend, often referred to as the regime’s “treasurer,” became a billionaire businessman, expanding into almost every industry thanks to government subsidies and lucrative contracts.

The NER: The Destruction of Hungarian Businesses and the Triumph of Crony Capitalism

The National Cooperation System (NER), built by Orbán, is nothing more than a well-designed, clientele-based economic apparatus aimed at destroying independent Hungarian businesses and channeling enormous wealth to government-friendly entrepreneurs. Independent companies were squeezed out of the public procurement market, and state contracts almost exclusively went to NER beneficiaries. Numerous business owners were forced to shut down, sell their companies, or move abroad after their competitors, leveraging political connections, systematically won state tenders.

Under the NER system, the independence of the judiciary, the police, and the prosecution ceased to exist. With Péter Polt as Chief Prosecutor, Orbán placed a person at the head of the judiciary who regularly turns a blind eye to politically sensitive cases. The police and the courts have also been brought under the service of the government, undermining the foundations of the rule of law.

Crushing Public Media and Independent Press

Viktor Orbán paid special attention to restructuring the media landscape. The state-run public media has long been reduced to a propaganda tool, where every piece of content and news report serves the political interests of the government. Simultaneously, the owners of independent media outlets were either marginalized or coerced into selling, often under pressure. The closure of Népszabadság, the nationalization of TV2, and its subsequent transformation into a NER-friendly channel, as well as the acquisition of countless regional newspapers by government-aligned interests, were all part of the same strategy: to maintain complete control over information and silence independent voices.

The Prime Minister has brought the country’s most important media outlets under his control, creating a media conglomerate that manipulates public opinion and solidifies his power. The Hungarian News Agency (MTI), once a bastion of independent reporting, has been downgraded to a propaganda machine serving Fidesz’s interests.

The Fall of the Presidents: Fidesz’s “respectable” leaders keep failing

One of the greatest embarrassments of the government is the story of its two failed presidents. Pál Schmitt, Orbán’s first president, was forced to resign after it was revealed that his doctoral dissertation was plagiarized. This scandal highlighted that the government does not value moral integrity or credibility. He was succeeded by János Áder, who was not without his own controversies. The most recent scandal erupted with the appointment of the new president, Katalin Novák, whom Orbán placed in the highest office as a politician loyal to his own interests. After Áder’s departure, Novák’s appointment did not bring calm to the public, especially following the scandal in which she granted clemency to a person convicted of a pedophilic crime.

The Totalitarian Machinery of Power: Péter Polt and Fidesz’s Prosecution Network

Chief Prosecutor Péter Polt has served the government’s interests since 2010. Independent prosecutorial activities have ceased to exist; instead, Polt creates cases or closes investigations on demand, particularly when they involve Fidesz-linked figures. The prosecution has become a tool for maintaining political power rather than delivering justice. Fidesz has brought all independent institutions under its control, including the judiciary, the police, and the media. The Office for the Protection of Sovereignty, established by Fidesz, is another tool for intimidating independent media and civil society organizations. Journalists are harassed, private citizens are surveilled, all to silence the remaining free press outlets.

The Poorest and Most Corrupt Country in Europe

During the 14 years of the Orbán government, Hungary has become the poorest and most corrupt country in the European Union. Inflation currently exceeds 17%, the highest rate in the EU. Food prices have skyrocketed, and wages have not kept pace, leaving people’s daily lives increasingly desperate. Public procurement and state contracts are all awarded to NER-linked entrepreneurs, distorting the country’s economic structure. Instead of fair competition, state corruption and crony capitalism dominate.

Hundreds of Thousands of People Have Left Hungary Due to Hopelessness

In the past 14 years, Hungary has not only collapsed economically but has also experienced a severe loss of human resources. Due to hopelessness, the livelihood crisis, and political pressure, hundreds of thousands of people have left the country and started new lives in Germany, Austria, the United States, or other developed countries around the world. This massive wave of emigration has fundamentally shaken the country’s economic and social structure. The lack of emigrant professionals, doctors, engineers, and young graduates severely hampers Hungary’s long-term development potential.

Viktor Orbán and his government have done nothing to stop this process. While government propaganda tries to downplay the extent of emigration, the reality is that today, hundreds of thousands of Hungarians live abroad because Fidesz has stripped them of their opportunities and their future. Families have been torn apart, and young people are starting families and building their futures abroad because they feel they have no chance of a decent living or a secure future in Hungary.

Fidesz’s Hypocritical Anti-LGBTQ+ Campaign

In recent years, the Orbán government has pursued a particularly aggressive anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda campaign, while Fidesz itself is full of people living double lives. The scandalous case of József Szájer, the former MEP caught at a gay sex party by Brussels police, is a prime example of hypocrisy. After Szájer’s scandal, there was no shift in attitude within Fidesz; instead, they continued their hate campaign against the LGBTQ+ community. Another memorable scandal involved Father Bese, a Fidesz-affiliated priest who participated in a gay sex orgy, and a video of the incident was even recorded. This case showed that Fidesz’s policy is not about defending real values but using hate as a tool to maintain power.

Orbán’s International Isolation and Embrace of Eastern Dictatorships

Viktor Orbán has become the most shameful politician in the EU, with only Eastern dictators engaging with him. While Western European democratic leaders avoid him, he is a welcome guest at the tables of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Orbán has turned Hungary into a puppet of Russia and China. Dependence on Russian gas and the Paks II project clearly sacrifice Hungary’s energy independence for Russian interests. The Fudan University project, financed by Chinese loans and paid for by Hungarian taxpayers, would further entrench Hungary as a stronghold of Chinese influence in Central Europe.

Hungary’s Future: A Political and Economic Dead End

These actions show that Viktor Orbán’s regime has entirely plundered and isolated the country. The Hungarian people are carrying an ever-growing debt burden, while the government elite and NER oligarchs are getting richer at a dizzying pace. Democracy, freedom of speech, and the rule of law are now only faint traces in Hungary, where power abuses power, people live in fear, and the outlook is increasingly bleak.

During the 14 years of the Orbán regime, Hungary has gone from being a country of hope to a stain on Europe. The nation has been sold out to Eastern powers, its own citizens have been driven away, the state treasury has been plundered, and the future has been destroyed. The real question is: When will the Hungarian people say Enough is enough!?

Magyar News Online