Orbán’s pandemic authoritarian grab Background Viktor Orbán has been successfully playing a big power game in the last decade, punching far above his weight. But his image as a negative hero in the Western World has clearly backfired now, with Orbán using the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to complete his authoritarian regime. Orbán’s moves are not purely the domestic political problems of Hungary – an authoritarian state within the EU could be deadly dangerous for the entire project. Germany has a very important role to play in the current situation. By Péter Krekó
Rule of law “light”: The “state of medical emergency” in Hungary Analysis In the last three months it has become crystal clear that, among other matters, the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary has taken its toll on a peculiar subject – the rule of law itself. By Emese Pásztor
“Don’t be silenced” – Hungary's biggest independent news site collapses Background On the evening of 24 July, a crowd of 10 000 -15 000 people gathered in front of the office of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to show their solidarity for the journalists who had resigned that very same morning from the largest remaining independent Hungarian news portal. In Hungary, demonstrations tend to draw no more than five thousand people, so the protest's size was surprising, especially since there is nothing new or shocking in democratic institutions being under heavy fire in Hungary. By András Földes
A state in danger - special legal order introduced in Hungary Analysis The Hungarian Parliament passed an Act on the Protection Against the Coronavirus. It gives an already authoritarian government extraordinary, dangerous powers. By Domokos Lázár
Orban most probably used a military aircraft to spend an evening in Milan’s La Scala Report The prime minister and his wife attended a show in Milan’s famous opera house, La Scala, on November 15. Coincidentally, one of the airplanes owned by the Hungarian military, which Orban had used several times before for official trips, flew to Milan on the same day. By Katalin Erdélyi
The Do-All, the Real Estate Agent and the Casino Man: three businessmen close to prime minister Orban control nearly 400 companies Analysis Three influential businessmen close to Viktor Orbán have interests in almost every sector. Lőrinc Mészáros has almost doubled the number of his enterprises last year, the companies of Garancsi are soaring and Andy Vajna’s wealth grows exponentially. By Oroszi Babett
The Orban government spent billions on Hungarian football clubs in Serbia, Romania and Slovakia Analysis The Hungarian government is financially supporting soccer wherever it can: new stadiums are being built across the country. Besides professional soccer, there is a huge amount of money spent on junior teams and training the new generations of soccer players as well. By Oroszi Babett
Interactive feature: follow the luxury jet and the yacht used by the Hungarian governing elite Tool The watchdog NGO Atlatszo revealed in September that Viktor Orban and the political and economic elite close to the government are using a €56-million luxury jet and a €21-million yacht. It decided to build an online tool where anyone can track the yacht and the jet in real time. By Erdélyi Katalin
Data visualization: this is how the pro-government media empire owning 476 outlets was formed Infographic This week 476 media outlets became parts of the new Hungarian media holding controlled by pro-government forces. The name of the mammoth is Central European Press and Media Foundation. This infographic shows you what happened! By Bátorfy Attila
Orchestrated Uncertainty: Another independent media outlet in Orbán’s hands The Hungarian Government has identified its new target: Index.hu, the country’s biggest independent news website, is now under the indirect control of government-friendly investors. Their journalists, in the meantime, have promised that they won’t give up without a fight. By Krisztián Simon