Pope to visit Hungary over the weekend

A pro-government commentator sees the papal visit as a gesture of support for the Hungarian government’s policies. A liberal author, on the other hand, fears that the event will not in itself ease Hungary’s isolation within Europe.

In Magyar Nemzet, Dávid Megyeri finds it obvious that Pope Francis decided to visit Hungary to express shared views on several problems of today’s World. He mentions among them calls both by Hungary and the Vatican for peace in Ukraine, as well as their stance against ‘gender folly’ and for the protection of the traditional family. ‘The Pope is our true ally’, he writes and asks whether the ‘Lords of the European Union’ will share his truly European, peace-making stance.

On Index, Gábor Fodor, a founding Fidesz member, then chairman of the liberal SZDSZ party in the 2000s asks if Pope Francis’s visit might ease Hungary’s ‘state of diplomatic isolation’. He doesn’t find disagreements with the US administration wrong in themselves but believes the government has gone too far in alienating western allies. Fodor concedes that the Pope professes views similar to those of the Hungarian government, mainly over the war in Ukraine and family values, and describes his visit as Hungary’s greatest diplomatic achievement for several years. He urges however steps to improve Hungary’s ties with its allies and mentions Poland as an example.

Tags: Poland, Pope Francis, Ukraine