“Given the tense situation here and in the world, we should be glad and grateful that there are still some like the Hungarian prime minister. We need more, not less,” writes German-Swiss businessman Ulrich Bettermann in an op-ed published this week in the German Die Welt.
What’s so unusual about this, of course, is not the view he holds – many Hungarian and European citizens agree – but that it appears in a major, German media outlet where it runs so counter to the prevailing, liberal narrative.
Bettermann argues that picking apart nationalist politicians has become contagious among Western pundits. The Hungarian PM endures savage criticism for his insistence on Christian values, cultural coherence and maintaining a peaceful, stable society. Such harsh criticism, the German businessman writes, is sheer nonsense. Prime Minister Orbán deserves applause, he says, not farcical insults.
“Hungary should be proud of its achievements,” according to the entrepreneur, stating that its strong economic performance should be held up as an example by western European countries. Unlike the Orbán Government’s handling of the refugee crisis, Angela Merkel struggled to put in place efficient policies. The Franco-Germanyaxis can no longer sustain Europe - and the population is all too aware of this, he writes.
“Very few people know that Hungary had to integrate the highest number of foreigners before 2015,” according to Bettermann. PM Orbán wants the Europe of Fatherlands (“Europe des patries”), which, in the eye of the left-liberal chattering class makes him a nationalist. Despite his ambition –on par with that of Charles de Gaulle - Orbán is hardly ever applauded for his contributions when it comes to tackling the migration crisis, complains Bettermann.
The EU struggles to overcome seemingly simple problems. The European Parliament, for example, still has to travel between Strasbourg and Brussels month after month. The elections have never been this easy to hack: those with a dual nationality can easily cast a vote in two countries. If the EU can’t tackle foibles this miniscule,how can they possibly justify the savage criticism directed against leaders like Orbán? Brexit left people feeling as though parliamentary democracy no longer At least in Hungary, the political system works seamlessly, writes Bettermann.
Photo credit: 24.hu