In recent months many Jews and international observers have noticed a change in the environment in Hungary that is more tolerant of racism and anti-Semitism. Part of this change is due to entry of the high-profile, media-savvy, extreme nationalist István Csurka into the Hungarian Parliament. The government of Viktor Orbán has remained silent in the face of Csurka's xenophobic, anti-Semitic, anti-Gypsy and racist proclamations.

Just before general elections in May 1998, the Socialist-led government looked unbeatable. Hungary's then-Prime Minister Gyula Horn, a Communist-turned-Socialist, had pulled the economy out of the doldrums, pushed down inflation considerably and won the country invitations to join the EU and NATO. But the Socialists lost. Few people had felt any benefits from these spectacular achievements, and austerity measures had hit living standards hard.

The center-right FIDESZ Hungarian Civic Party capitalized on this dissatisfaction and defeated the Socialists by a very small margin. With promises to cut taxes, increase welfare and pensions, crack down on organized crime and boost economic growth the rhetorically brilliant and charismatic 35-year-old Viktor Orbán became Europe's youngest Prime Minister. Because of his close win, Orbán had no choice but to link up with the right-wing, rural-based Smallholders Party and its firebrand leader József Tórgyan and the small, conservative MDF Hungarian Democratic Forum. The three parties have a combined 213 seats or 55 percent of the total 386 seats in Parliament. The main opposition, the ex-Communist Socialist Party, holds 134 seats ­ 35 percent.

December 1999

Next: Istvan Csurka and the MIEP Party