„All sides agreed that there should be no fuss when Hungary's Viktor Orbán took over the presidency of the European Union yesterday. The EU's technocrats would allow Orbán to play the big guy on the international stage, as long as he let Brussels run Europe behind the scenes. Brussels assured Orbán's rightwing Fidesz party in return that it would not look too closely at how he runs Hungary.
Both parties will maintain the pretence that Hungary is a decent democracy and not discuss the ugly little state that is growing within Europe's borders. The silence of Europe's rulers will suit Fidesz nicely. Ever since it won a landslide victory over the corrupt and incompetent Hungarian left, it has been turning Hungary into a… well, I will not call it a fascist country or even a neo-fascist county, but just note that an old, foul stench wafts from the »new society« Orbán's patriots are building on the Danube.
You can catch a smell of it in Fidesz's propaganda. Its first act was to order public buildings to display a passage from its manifesto. »In spring 2010, the Hungarian nation gathered its strength once again and brought about a successful revolution in the polling booth«, the citizenry was informed. They should rejoice because Fidesz will lead Hungary to a bright new tomorrow based on »work, home, family, health and order«.