Hungary's Orban consolidates power through systemic political engineering
Original framing: “Hungary's Viktor Orban: Global ‘illiberal role-model’” — The Japan Times
Orban’s model of illiberal governance has found resonance in countries like Poland and Turkey, where leaders similarly frame democratic norms as foreign impositions. This reflects a broader global trend in which authoritarian leaders exploit cultural identity to justify institutional erosion.
Viktor Orban’s consolidation of power in Hungary is not an isolated phenomenon but part of a broader global trend of democratic erosion, enabled by legalistic manipulation, media control, and the exclusion of marginalized voices.
His strategy draws from Hungary’s historical authoritarian traditions and finds resonance in other post-Soviet and post-colonial states. The EU’s structural funds have inadvertently supported his patronage system, while his nationalist rhetoric appeals to a broader European electorate disillusioned with liberal globalization. To counter this, a multi-pronged approach is needed: strengthening democratic conditionality, supporting independent media and civil society, and ensuring the inclusion of Roma and other marginalized groups in political processes. Only through such systemic interventions can the long-term erosion of democratic norms be reversed.