The draft of the new regime defense law further erodes Hungary's sovereignty

For years, Political Capital has been systematically analyzing how fundamental decisions of the Orbán regime are influenced by foreign interests, particularly those of authoritarian powers outside of Hungary's alliance system, such as Russia and China. The culmination of this malign foreign influence, as presented in our analyses, is a Kremlin-style draft law intended to stigmatize, silence and disable any organization that criticizes the government.

Although the draft law refers to ‘sovereignty’, it is not actually about defending national or popular sovereignty. Rather, it is about protecting the government's arbitrary power and ensuring it remains unrestricted. The law aims to prevent anyone from controlling or criticizing those in power. With this law, the government is effectively seeking to monopolize public discourse.

Using Orwellian "newspeak" logic, the proposal claims to protect democratic processes and public discourse while actually preparing to dismantle the remnants of democracy. The so-called "Sovereignty Protection Office," reminiscent of totalitarian systems, can use vague concepts to blacklist any organization receiving foreign funding. The National Tax and Customs Administration can then investigate the organization, crippling its operations and potentially shutting it down. This enables those in power to remove anyone who opposes their political and financial interests from public life. Fidesz considers any organization or citizen expendable in pursuit of its power goals.

The draft law affects not only independent non-governmental organizations and the independent media, but also any legal entity, regardless of its organizational form, as well as individuals holding senior positions in such entities. This means that any organization, company, educational institution, or even a company that exports abroad and has received foreign funding, including from the EU, could be intimidated or shut down. Not only will the independent press be at risk, but independent Hungarian YouTubers and other content creators will be too, as money received from Google could be considered foreign funding.

Without any real justification, Fidesz's draft law claims that "foreign funding" poses a risk as if it automatically harms Hungarian interests. According to the draft law, any financial contribution from outside Hungary, whether direct or indirect, is considered "foreign funding." This includes contributions from the European Union and Hungarian citizens with dual citizenship. Given that Hungary is one of the most open economies in the world and a member of the European Union, this logic is both incomprehensible and meaningless. In fact, it is precisely those organizations that serve the national interest by bringing support into the country through legitimate and transparent tenders – such as EU tenders – and using the funds domestically for the public good. These organizations often fulfill tasks that the state has failed to perform, such as preventing corruption, disseminating information, and providing social services. The greatest threat to national interests and sovereignty in Hungary today is the unhindered conversion of public funds into private wealth by a small circle of individuals in power. Unsurprisingly, the smear campaign by the so-called “Sovereignty Protection Office” has primarily targeted civil society organizations and media outlets that expose these abuses. Supporting these organizations is now more important than ever.

Restrictions on freedom of the press and speech in Hungary fit into a well-known geopolitical pattern. Although the Hungarian government proclaims its sovereignty, it has become a key tool for Russia in its struggle against the EU, NATO, and Ukraine. In recent years, the government has increasingly aligned itself with Russia, the aggressor, in terms of communication, energy, intelligence, and politics. The government is transforming the political system along Russian lines, spreading Russian disinformation in Hungary, and prioritizing Russian interests over Hungary's true national interests. If Fidesz truly intended to protect Hungary's sovereignty, it would take action against the state-organized political, economic, and informational influence efforts of authoritarian countries outside our alliance system rather than against domestic actors who stand on the ground of democratic values. To this end, we recommend Political Capital's 21-point package of proposals for a genuine protection of Hungary's sovereignty.