The leading commentator of the right-wing daily is convinced that the duel between Gordon Bajnai and Attila Mesterházy is a sham and that ultimately the former will be the left-wing contender for the post of Prime Minister next year. READ MORE
In a blatant parody of a Magyar Hírlap story alleging that Socialist leader Mesterházy is facing a serious challenge from an older generation of party officials, Népszava writes that dissatisfied Fidesz members might send an ultimatum to PM Viktor Orbán, demanding a correction of his political course. READ MORE
Former SZDSZ MP Tamás Bauer who is a professor of economics and serves as Vice-Chairman of Ferenc Gyurcsány’s Democratic Coalition (DK) party, believes it would be in Hungary’s best interest to be punished by the EU for what he calls the government’s ill-conceived economic policy and “autocratic” rule. READ MORE
Left-wing commentators accuse the Prime Minister of painting too rosy a picture of his government’s performance, while pro-government columnists contend that he was rather exact in his explanation of the reasons behind his choice of path. READ MORE
Although the next election is scheduled for the spring of 2014, most observers believe the campaign is already underway. PM Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP alliance leads the polls, but analysts do not rule out an opposition victory. READ MORE
A centre-right commentator says the Socialist Party leader has already won the race for the leadership of a united opposition. A left-wing analyst claims that opposition parties and Together-2014 are running out of time while they try to maximize their individual political gains. READ MORE
While right-leaning columnists ridicule the Socialists for their new-found enthusiasm for Hungarian minorities abroad, journalists on the left suggest that Fidesz may have lost hope of gaining all minority Hungarian votes. A Hungarian analyst in Romania warns Hungary’s political élite against patronising attitudes. READ MORE
A centrist analyst suggests that Socialist Party leader Attila Mesterházy is playing his hand more wisely against his rival, Gordon Bajnai than most analyst realize. READ MORE
Columnists commenting on Sunday’s anti-Nazi demonstration wonder if the presence of both left and right-wing politicians is a harbinger of a new consensus to reject anti-Semitism. Both pro-government and left-wing pundits are skeptical about the possibility and the desirability of finding such common ground. READ MORE
An independent conservative commentator says pro-government and opposition politicians must remove Jobbik’s dirt from Hungary’s honour. READ MORE