Hungary named Europe’s healthiest democracy

Budapest, Hungary – Amid the doom and gloom brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, there is a shimmer of hope. Following the recent political developments in the country, Hungary has been named Europe’s healthiest democracy.

According to the International Institute for Central European Policy Studies, Hungary now ranks above previous top 3 Norway, Iceland and Sweden in every single democratic indicator, including “civil liberties”, “functioning of government” and “pluralism”. Poland comes in a close second.

The very real Geneva-based think tank argues that by giving “a carte blanche mandate” with “no sunset clause” to the Orban-led government, the latest emergency bill will “undoubtedly” facilitate the rule of law, the protection of press and academic freedoms, and the development of a “healthy, vibrant and free civil society” for years to come.

When asked about the latest ranking, Budapest-born philanthropist and regular boogeyman of the Fidesz government George Soros admitted he was “wrong”. To which Viktor Orban answered, “told you so”.

MEP and former leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), Guy Verhofstadt, a staunch supporter of Viktor Orban, also reacted to the ranking, urging European countries and EU institutions to take inspiration from Hungary.

The Guardian, who recently denounced the emergency bill as a “power grab”, shared the ranking and tweeted “fair enough”.

The news was particularly well received by the LGBT community, as well as other minorities, which “thanked” in a press release Viktor Orban and the Fidesz government for helping create “a safe environment for civil organizations to flourish”.

The best is still to come then…