The “Orbán pattern”: a political experiment that brings out the weak points of the liberal building through contrast?
The “Orbán pattern”: a political experiment that brings out the weak points of the liberal building through contrast?

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Summary/Abstract: Viktor Orbán's government in recent years has, in political science essays and widespread perception, become synonymous with “illiberal democracy”. This definition was accepted and proudly relaunched by the Hungarian premier himself, but some scholars underline how his political action cannot be traced back to a real “pattern” of illiberal or populist democracy, but must rather be considered a political experience which, starting from the specific characteristics of Hungarian history and society (including the traumatic experience of the 1956 revolution), uses at the same time the opportunities offered by EU membership, the dashed hopes of the “liberal revolution” launched in 1989 and a moment of crisis that all liberal democracies are going through to varying degrees. In other words, even if Orbán makes use of sophisticated populist rhetorical strategies and is capable of deeply eroding democratic institutions, he has proved to be above all capable of occupying a “space of opportunity” left free by the other political forces in his country; he does not really constitute an exportable “pattern”, since he relies on limitations and weak points typical above all of post-communist Hungary, even if he can be considered an “alarm bell” which should induce liberal-democratic societies and institutions to renew themselves in order to do not get overwhelmed by imminent, possible generalized crises.

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