While Budapest presents an enchanting facade with its vibrant culture and architecture, it conceals a deeper political reality under the authoritarian leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orban since 2010. Critics describe Hungary as an electoral autocracy where democratic institutions are manipulated to consolidate power, alongside significant restrictions on civil dissent and media independence. This shift has not only reshaped Hungary's political landscape, making it a pariah in the EU, but has also drawn admiration from many U.S. conservatives who view Orban's governance as a model for populist leadership.
"Budapest is a gorgeous city and you will never have any clue that this is really a dictatorship," says Kim Scheppele, highlighting the deceptive appearance of democracy in Hungary.
Since the election of Prime Minister Viktor Orban in 2010, this once robust democracy has regressed into what members of the European Parliament now call an electoral autocracy.
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