Left-wing dailies express mixed emotions over the new opposition pact, fearing that time is too short to reach out to potential voters. A pro-government commentator thinks that by embracing Mr Gyurcsány as their future partner, Socialist Party chairman Attila Mesterházy and Together-2014 leader Gordon Bajnai have given up their quest for something different to the pre-2010 system of government. READ MORE
Népszabadság suggests that a planned ‘exclusive review’ illustrates how the government is attempting to tame authors and artists. The internet is “aflame” with spicy reactions and young right-wing authors who have been queuing up to dissociate themselves from the project. READ MORE
The leading leftist daily deplores the main players’ reluctance to revise their electoral pact, and hopes that their announcement has not come too late. The main pro-government daily is less charitable and points out that after so much ado, the leading left-wing candidate for the Premier’s post has yet to be picked. READ MORE
Left-wing commentators echo the misgivings expressed by opposition politicians about the government’s plan to erect a monument commemorating the invasion of Hungary by Nazi Germany in 1944. The statue is due to be unveiled on the 70th anniversary, i.e. March 19th, on Szabadság (Freedom) square, in front of the monument to Soviet soldiers. Left-wing politicians have criticised the hasty decision and expressed fears that the monument will implicitly whitewash the role of those Hungarians who collaborated with the Nazis. READ MORE
Népszabadság calls the project a capitulation to tax evasion and deplores a police search in the home of a tax fraud whistle-blower. Meanwhile, fact-finding journalists continue their quest to either prove or disprove the whistle-blower’s allegations. READ MORE
In their traditional New Year columns, left and right-wing dailies alike agree that Fidesz is the probable winner of the next elections, but that prospect does not make them equally happy. READ MORE
Left-wing columnists accuse the government of ignoring growing poverty. Their pro-government counterpart believes that the opposition is trying to politically exploit the poor, having done nothing to improve their lot while they were in government. READ MORE
The leading left-wing daily accuses National Bank chief Matolcsy of compromising judicial independence and the rule of law by calling for retroactive legislation in order to abolish FX loans. A pro-government commentator welcomes the government’s efforts to strengthen Hungarian owned banks. READ MORE
Left and liberal commentators poke fun at a children’s charity for turning away a porn-star-turned singer, arguing that Tünde Krasznai started her life as an underprivileged child and if Pope Francis invites former prostitutes to meet him, why should self-proclaimed Hungarian Christians be less charitable? READ MORE
Pro-government commentators accuse former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány’s DK party of being ready to cooperate with far right organizations to beat Fidesz. Some liberal commentators agree that the DK’s anti-Orbán rhetoric may have strange side-effects, others point out that local DK leaders acted without the knowledge of the centre and were kicked out of the party immediately. READ MORE