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A young opposition party leader takes on Hungary's authoritarian regime
TOMOKI MERA
BUDAPEST -- Hungary continues to position itself closer to Russia and China than other European Union countries. It joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1999 and the EU in 2004, but has at times blocked their decisions and undermined the unity of sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
Backed by a conservative coalition, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has recently become more authoritarian, and strengthened control over the media and the judiciary.
The leading critic of the Orban administration is Peter Magyar, 43, who left one of the ruling parties after a political scandal broke and forced the resignation of the country's president. Magyar now leads the new opposition party, "Tisza" (Respect and Freedom), which is gathering support rapidly, and overtook the government coalition in the most recent opinion poll last December.
What does the emergence of this young opposition figure mean for Hungary and the EU?