Viktor Orbán

Viktor Orbán, a Hungarian lawyer and politician, has been serving as the Prime Minister of Hungary since 2010, with a previous term from 1998 to 2002. He is also the leader of the Fidesz political party.

In 1986, Viktor Orbán submitted his Master's thesis on the Polish Solidarity movement, which was based on interviews with its leaders. This marked an important academic achievement in his early career.

In November 1987, Viktor Orbán welcomed delegates from 17 countries to a seminar on the Perestroika, conscientious objection, and the prospects for a pan-European democratic movement. This event showcased his involvement in political discussions.

On March 30, 1988, Viktor Orbán and other students founded the Alliance of Young Democrats (FIDESZ) as a liberal-nationalist youth movement to challenge the Hungarian Young Communist League.

On June 16, 1989, Viktor Orbán delivered a speech at Heroes' Square demanding free elections and the withdrawal of Soviet troops, which brought him national prominence and introduced FIDESZ to the public.

In January 1990, Viktor Orbán abandoned his project at Oxford and returned to Hungary with his family to run for a seat in Hungary's first post-communist parliament. This marked a significant transition in his political career.

On April 18, 1993, Viktor Orbán became the first president of FIDESZ, leading the party's transformation from a radical liberal organization to a center-right people's party.

In 1994, Fidesz suffered a major loss in elections, prompting Viktor Orbán to take the party sharply right and move its focus from cities to conservative provinces.

Eleven years after his marriage by simple registry, Viktor Orbán and his wife consecrated their union in a church ceremony, showing his genuine religious conversion and belief in the national importance of Christianity.

In 2000, Fidesz left Liberal International and joined the European People's Party, initiating a nearly two-decade-long association. This shift in alliances had implications for Hungary's position in European politics.

In May 2001, Viktor Orbán received the Freedom Award of the American Enterprise Institute and the New Atlantic Initiative in Washington, D.C.

In August 2001, Viktor Orbán received the Polak Award of the Maria Polak Foundation.

In November 2001, Viktor Orbán received the Franz-Josef Strauß award granted by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

In September 2002, Viktor Orbán became the first recipient of the Saint Stephan prize in the Hungarian city of Esztergom.

In April 2007, Viktor Orbán founded the Ferenc Puskás Foundation for young football players.

In 2009, Fidesz, led by Viktor Orbán, emerged as the largest political force in Central Europe by winning the European Parliament elections with a significant majority.

On 29 May 2010, Viktor Orbán was elected as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary by the National Assembly, securing a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary elections.

Viktor Orbán has been in power for ten years, during which Hungary has seen a shift towards 'soft authoritarianism'. This term refers to a style of governance that maintains the facade of democracy while gradually eroding democratic institutions and norms.

In 2011, the Hungarian Parliament rushed through a new constitution in just nine days without public input or a referendum. The new constitution significantly weakened the judiciary, especially the Constitutional Court, by allowing the selection of justices directly by Parliament, leading to concerns about the court being packed with sympathetic judges.

In August 2013, Hungary paid off its remaining bailout debt ahead of schedule, prompting the government to request the IMF to close its Budapest office.

Viktor Orbán delivered a speech at Băile Tuşnad on July 26, 2014, addressing various issues.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a speech on March 15, 2016, addressing significant topics.

On June 7, 2016, the governing alliance of Fidesz-KDNP and the right-wing opposition Jobbik approved the Sixth Amendment to the Fundamental Law in Hungary, which widened the government's emergency powers in the case of significant and direct risk of a terrorist attack.

Hungarians voted on a referendum regarding the EU's migrant-resettlement policy in October 2016. Despite over 98% rejecting EU imposition of migrant quotas, the referendum was deemed invalid due to low turnout. Orbán used the result to push for amendments to prevent mandatory migrant settlement.

On October 3, 2016, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed victory in the EU migrant quota referendum.

The statue of Nagy was removed from Freedom Square in Hungary, symbolizing a shift away from fascism and totalitarianism towards democratic governance. This action erased the nation's history of civil resistance and struggle for democracy.

Jan-Werner Müller's article on FT.com on April 10, 2017, labeled Viktor Orban as 'Europe’s enemy within', reflecting on the controversial political stance of the Hungarian Prime Minister.

On June 13, 2017, the Hungarian Parliament passed a bill that imposes additional measures on foreign backed NGOs, which has been criticized as an intimidation tactic against civil society.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a speech at the 28th Bálványos summer free university and student camp on July 22, 2017.

In 2017, R. Metz discussed Orbán Viktor's handling of the migration crisis in the book 'Viharban Kormányozni', analyzing the Hungarian leader's approach to the situation.

On February 18, 2018, Viktor Orbán delivered a speech in Budapest, warning about the occupation of Europe and emphasizing the importance of Christianity.

Orbán criticized Western political leaders for wanting Hungary to adopt policies that led to immigration and the decline of Christian culture. He emphasized the importance of defending homeland and religion against a post-Christian and post-national era.

Viktor Orbán won Hungary's parliamentary elections on April 8th, 2018, by utilizing a strategy of using Europe to fight political ideas instead of contributing to ideology. This approach differentiated him from other anti-European populists and fueled his popularity.

On July 10, 2018, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán attended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s inauguration ceremony in Ankara.

An article exploring the close relationship between Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban.

The European People's Party Group suspends the membership of Viktor Orbán's party.

European Conservatives temporarily exclude Fidesz party after a poster campaign.

Viktor Orbán is engaging in historical revisionism in Hungary, particularly in Freedom Square, by altering concrete and bronze structures to shape the country's past and future.

In March 2020, a new law granting sweeping powers to Viktor Orbán in Hungary raised concerns among rights advocates.

A publication titled 'Viktor Orbán: Past to Present' by Bulent Kenes provides insights into Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's leadership style, describing him as 'irredentist,' 'right-wing populist,' 'authoritarian,' and 'autocratic.' Orbán is known for tightening his grip on power and aiming to rule Hungary for the foreseeable future.

Laczó expresses concerns about the future of Fidesz during the corona crisis, highlighting healthcare as a major shortcoming that could impact the party's support. He believes the next few years will be crucial for the Orbán regime.