Hungary’s Orban Is Within the European Mainstream: Zoltan Kovacs

To the Editor:

Re Andreas Kluth’s column, “Coronavirus Has Exposed the EU’s Creeping Irrelevance“ (April 25):

Kluth called Hungary’s democratically elected Prime Minister Viktor Orban a “tin-pot dictator” who has “largely neutered Hungary’s opposition, courts and press” and used the coronavirus epidemic to introduce “rule by decree.”

What Kluth fails to mention is that many other European Union states have introduced a similar state of emergency, with some assuming powers that far exceed Orban’s temporary rights. Germany’s health minister can issue directives despite any constitutional concerns. Switzerland’s government rules via directive, bypassing the legislature. And Spain’s parliament remains in session but cannot question the government. Compared to these, the additional powers granted to the Hungarian government seem like child’s play.