In the lead up to the commencement of Donald Trump’s controversial second term in office, the rhetoric of ‘a golden era’ for America was echoed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary, a man whose strong-arm leadership methods are seen by certain U.S. right-ring conservatives as a blueprint for America’s future. Looking to limit immigration, reduce regulations and shake off the democratic limitations they consider cumbersome, these conservatives are inspired by Orbán’s brand of politics. Simultaneously, the closeness between Orbán and Trump is palpable, with multiple visits from the Hungarian leader to the infamous Trump Florida resort.
In recent times, Orbán lauded Trump’s brash approach to international diplomacy, solely reaching out to Russian President Vladimir Putin with respect to the Ukraine conflict. During one of the U.S. presidential debates preceding his return to office on January 20th, Trump even branded Orbán as ‘a tough person.’ With Trump back at the helm, there appears to be a marked shift in presidential power, bearing a worrying resemblance to the undemocratic methods of Orbán and other global autocrats.
Echoing Orbán, Trump seems to push the boundaries of presidential powers, a strategy that Orbán has effectively employed to make it nearly impossible to dethrone his political party in Hungary. From media censorship, heightened LGBTQ+ persecution, to aggressive immigration control, Orbán’s systematic abuse of state power has many unsettling echoes in Trump’s approach, despite differences in their political systems.
Orbán secret to maintaining political resilience came after a surprising defeat in the 2002 elections, where he swore he ‘would never lose again.’ He orchestrated sweeping political changes in Hungary while out of power, crafting a legal framework with his allies that would grant him significant authority. This plan was executed seamlessly after his party obtained a sweeping victory in 2010.
Orbán’s first actions, subsequent to reclaiming power, were to rewrite Hungary’s constitution and revamp the election laws, biasing his party’s chances of securing more seats in the legislature. His efforts were successful, evidenced by his party’s repeated wins of a two-thirds legislative majority since 2010, bizarrely, even when they gathered as little as 44% of the national vote. This raises questions around democratic representation in Hungary, where political parties nominates candidates for parliament seats, granting significant administrative power to Orbán.
This control of party dynamics, although dissimilar in the United States, has shades in Trump’s shaping of the Republican Party. His brand of loyalty-first governance shines through his nominations for key government position, including the heads of the DOJ, FBI, and DoD.
Parallel to Orbán’s shift into an authoritarian figure, he also started to align with autocracies such as Russia and China. Trump, like his Hungarian counterpart, possesses a history of praising autocratic figures, notably Putin. Trump’s alarming rank of Putin above U.S. intelligence services and his admiration for the Russian leader’s incursion into Ukraine has rung alarm bells among democratic circles.
While the scale of U.S. governance is different from Hungary’s, Trump’s actions hint at an unnerving future. With a Republican majority, Trump issued a barrage of executive orders aimed at stretching the limits of the presidency and challenging the nation’s checks and balances without the need for congressional consultations.
Trump’s audacious government reshuffling, which includes an overbearing number of judges appointed by previous presidents, including Biden, is concerning. The absence of adherence to the established legislative methodology renders the future uncertain and might further erode the democratic foundation.
Despite the fact that Trump does not directly control party elections as Orbán does, his indelible imprint on the Republican Party is evident. His strong influence shifted the party’s once robust principles to fragile loyalty litmus tests.
These changes have raised glaring concerns about democratic erosion in America, akin to the way Orbán’s actions have turned Hungary into what the European Parliament now refers to as an ‘electoral autocracy.’
In summary, the parallels painted between President Trump’s second term and Prime Minister Orbán’s methods are cause for concern among observers. Undeniably, there exists an uncanny semblance between Orbán’s Hungary and Trump’s vision for his second term.
Both leaders’ affinity for strongman politics and controversial foreign policy choices, particularly towards autocracies, have raised eyebrows and increased tensions on the international political scene. Trump’s lofty praises for Putin and his decision to stay noncommittal about Ukraine’s equal participation in negotiations to end the war, echo strong resemblances to Orbán’s political orientation.
While the democratic systems in the United States and Hungary may be visibly different in theory, the similarities and shared values between Trump and Orbán cannot be entirely overlooked. Each leader’s approach has challenged the existing norms and raised questions about the true embodiment of democracy in their respective nations.
In closing, it seems a looming mirroring of Orbán’s Hungary could be in the cards for America under Trump’s leadership. This is worrying considering the stark erosion of democratic elements affirmatively practiced in Hungary.
Ultimately, the similarities observed between Hungary’s Orbán and America’s Trump underscore the importance of preserving the foundations of democracy amidst the rise of strongman leadership styles. Observing from afar, one can only hope for a moderation in the prevailing shift of the global political landscape.