2013-03-12

Hungary continues moving right

Europe's rightward swing continues apace.

Hungary Lawmakers Rebuff EU, U.S.
Hungarian lawmakers on Monday passed amendments to the country's constitution, despite warnings from the European Union and the U.S. that the measures could threaten the rule of law and weaken democratic checks and balances.

Parliament, controlled by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's right-leaning Fidesz alliance, approved the changes—including provisions that allow the court system's top administrator and prosecutors to choose which judges hear legal cases—in a party-line vote.
The EU and U.S. are the seat of leftism in the world, with growing Russian resistance coming from the right. Within Europe, right-wing parties are growing in number and support, though they are scattered across the current political spectrum. Thus there are the fascist throwbacks in Greece (Golden Dawn), left-wing economic nationalists (Finns) and national independence parties with a libertarian outlook (UKIP).
Critics' main focus has been on changes they say undermine the country's judiciary, such as one barring the Constitutional Court from considering the legality of constitutional amendments and from applying case law and legal precedents predating the new Basic Law, which took effect in 2012.

Mr. Orban's relations with the country's judiciary have at times been contentious. On Monday, he lashed out at a court ruling against state-imposed cuts to natural-gas companies' prices, calling it "scandalous," and saying the government would ask Parliament to approve even bigger reductions.

Civil-rights groups have also complained about amendments that define "family" as a married man and woman and their children, outlaw some kinds of political advertising, and allow the government to prohibit homeless people from living on city streets.
Not even the U.S. Supreme Court can consider the legality of a constitutional amendment. By definition, a constitutional amendment is legal......and the definition of family is well within cultural norms. There are other issues with the judiciary, but as the criticism shows, this is more about right-left political splits. For example, the price cuts to natural gas prices is dumb economics, but no more stupid than what is being implemented in France. Expect more fighting in Europe as the dream of a united left-wing Europe comes apart as nationalism makes a comeback.

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