EU membership is not enough to protect us. Look at what is happening in Hungary.
Published:
July 29, 2014 at 3:27pm
God help us all, really. Hungary’s prime minister has used the systems of liberal democracy to get to power. Now that he is in with a two-thirds majority in parliament, he has changed the Constitution, clamped down on the free press, and now Bloomberg reports his plans for “an illiberal state”.
He actually believes that a ‘nationalistic illiberal state’ is compatible with EU membership, and he cites as his admired models China and Russia.
And there you have it: a lesson from history transposed to the present – that the democratic vote can be used to erode democracy or end it by the election of undemocratic leaders.
23 Comments Comment
Reply to Libertas Click here to cancel reply
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-28/orban-says-he-seeks-to-end-liberal-democracy-in-hungary.html
Except that he chooses to be clear.
I always try to fathom how such people are trusted. Even their look frightens the hell out of you. Ihares ikrah bhal Muscat.
In 1636 Grand Master Jean-Paul Lascaris Casstellar struck a 2 zecchini piece on which was portrayed his melancholic and forbidding face.
So well was his expression remembered that ‘ Wiċċ Laskri’ is still in use today to describe the face of a haughty person.
Who knows perhaps in time ‘ Wiċċ Joseph’ will become the expression commonly used to replace it.
Already there are those who refer to him in relation to another part of his anatomy.
So all those nice words before joining the EU that this would ensure our ‘liberty’ were all for nowt.
A determined abuser of democratic rights can achieve his undemocratic aim/s as in Hungary.
Having said that I feel that we have been ‘living’ this style (Hungary’s present) for eons. Why? Because unfortunately we have always had a Parliamentary dictatorship.
The party with the larger majority (PN and LP) simply do what either likes. Again unfortunately this leads to the extreme political polarisation predominant in this country – which frankly suits politicians fine. Typical examples – Mintoff’s negative aspects (constitution et al) and likewise ex Minister Austin Gatt’s exclamation ‘we are 5 up so we do what we want’. Well now the PL is 9 up! Democracy anyone?
[Daphne – Oh, for God’s sake. Talk about confusing issues. ‘A parliamentary dictatorship’ because one party stays in power for five years? What we are talking about here is changing the constitution and laws to violate basic human rights and freedoms, and to limit or cancel democracy.]
Maybe you should read the article again.
With the Maltese electorate, issues revolving around the likes of Arriva and roofless theatres always take precedence over those impacting upon the Malta constitution and human rights.
Muscat fell only just short of a two-thirds majority in the last general election. Voters should reflect on the terrible consequences upon us all, except for the anointed few, had that come to pass, and should keep that scenario in mind when voting again in 2018.
Remember that people elect MPs and a majority in votes results in a majority of seats which gives the winning party the right to govern the country. This happens every five years or less.
There’s always our Constitution and the Courts above Paliament. There’s also the media which is supposed to make sure that everything’s under scrutiny, but you can scrap that here.
In a dictatorship there’s none of this. I hope that makes Democracy a bit clearer for you.
“..the democratic vote can be used to erode democracy or end it by the election of undemocratic leaders”.
It seems that few people know the following: Hamas also took power in 2005 by winning a general election in Gaza. Then immediately suspended all future elections. No elections, honest or rigged, have been held in Gaza since then.
Joseph Muscat has so far suspended local elections. This is just the thin end of the wedge.
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance” – Thomas Jefferson
Absolutely terrifying. I wouldn’t put it past our lot to attempt something similar if they had the chance. Just look at how they never miss a chance to cosy up to any dictator in sight.
What’s really worrying me, especially after that Daily Mail report on Tony Blair, is that by next election the PN will still be dealing with their ‘mid-life crisis’, as the article puts it, and Labour will win by an even greater majority. Scary.
http://www.kormany.hu/en/the-prime-minister/news/the-era-of-the-work-based-state-is-approaching
Orban sounds exactly like Muscat.
This can only embolden Muscat to drop all pretenses or otherwise continue to strive to achieve the same as he’s been doing so far.
Postponing local government elections could very well be “testing the waters” with one’s toes.
Has Stephen Saliba forgotten his Labour sympathies during the glorious 16 1/2 years of Socialist rule way back in the 70s and 80s?
>John Higgins whoever you are. I have always had the guts to tell it as it is in ANY era. Needless to say I certainly do not hide behind a pseudonym. Unfortunately (more often for me) I have been brought up to call a spade a spade.
Is ‘parliamentary dictatorship’ a ‘spade’?
Is that what you mean?
There are indications that Malta will be taking the same road as Hungary – maybe this is the road-map which Joseph Muscat was referring to prior to the elections.
The suggested postponement of local council elections is but the start of that. The secretive deals made, or that will be made, with non-democratic states are further indicators. In addition, the government has put Malta’s energy production infrastructure under the control of a foreign state.
Hungary is a test case. The PN should lobby EU institutions, including the EU parliament so that the EU will take appropriate action to prevent Orban in his intentions. If the EU fails to take decisive action against Orban, it will also not do anything if Muscat chooses to go down the same route.
There are some leading PL activists who have a brain and a conscience and who can understand that undermining democracy is not in the best interest of Malta and the Maltese. They have a responsibility to stand up to Joseph Muscat and warn him against contemplating any such action.
I have doubts about what the real situation in Hungary is. It’s impossible to follow the Hungarian press due to language. In any case if it is true there is a threat to democracy, then the EU and other EU states should speak on this issue. The EU should hold uphold democratic values, especially in its Member States.
[Daphne – David, somewhere in this thread you will find a link I posted (admin) to a faithful translation of the Hungarian PM’s speech. Read it.]
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140729/opinion/Innocent-face-of-crime.529699
In five years, all the money will have been drained and therefore general elections will have to be postponed up to the time that Joe Mizzi declares that we have struck oil.
The EU has all the mechanisms and enforcements to prevent these things. But this depends on the willingness of the member state to remain a member, actually, and it’s willingness to retain credentials within the democratic civilised world.
The EU can impose fines, which members can refuse to pay. Ultimately, members can be expelled. Bluntly, if a member state becomes a dictatorship, for example by a coup, the EU cannot intervene militarily to restore democracy. Probably the bloc will expel it and impose economic sanctions, but the latter is doubtful and also hypocritical, as long as the EU continues dealing with other dictatorships outside the bloc.
So yes, when one thinks more about it, this protection has its limits after all.