Viktor Orbán hopes Fidesz will remain in government until 2060

An independent political analyst describes the Prime Minister’s acceptance speech as re-elected chairman as an exercise in self-confidence.

Reviewing the Prime Minister’s speech after his re-election as Fidesz chairman at the party congress on Index, Attila Tibor Nagy believes that while Mr Orbán uses hard anti-Brussels rhetoric for domestic consumption, he may well prove more compromising in his dealings with the European Union in order to get frozen EU funds released. Apart from this, Nagy underlines what he sees as a key message of the speech – the importance of leadership stability. Mr Orbán, he suggests, told any potential rivals to wait, as he is in good shape and will be just as fit in two years’ time when the party next decides on its leadership. He encouraged ambitious young politicians in his court, nevertheless, by saying that Fidesz will remain in power until 2060 when he can hardly expect to be still politically active (at 97). Another element Nagy deems interesting in the speech is the Prime Minister’s declaration that he favours ‘green policies without green ideology’. He takes that as sign of a new narrative aimed at quelling discontent with the multiple electric car battery factories being built throughout Hungary.

Tags: environment, EU, Fidesz, Orbán