Hungary

Hungary's defeat of Orbán’s authoritarianism offers a powerful lesson for Israel. Can Israel learn from Hungary’s democratic shift and face its own political challenges?

The key lesson for the Israeli public from the Hungarian elections may be that polls should be treated with considerable caution.

The Budapest event, held at the Open Doors Hungary office and organized by Tariq El Tahrir and the Uncivilized Book Club, described Barghouti in promotional materials as a "symbol of resistance."

Magyar invited the Israeli premier to a ceremony marking 70 years since the Hungarian Uprising, while Netanyahu invited him to a government-to-government meeting in Jerusalem.

Magyar said on Sunday that he would aim for a "pragmatic relationship" with Israel, but would not provide a blanket block of the European Union's decisions regarding Israel.

In countries where populism is ascendant, the main political rivalry is no longer primarily between a moderate Left and a moderate Right.

Hungary stands out as a nation in the middle of Europe where Jewish life is thriving.

Orban may have been an ultra-nationalist. He may have been anti-immigration. He may have been illiberal. But he had Israel’s back. Repeatedly.

With Orban’s departure from power following the recent elections, Israel is waking up to a starkly different European landscape.

During the Hungary elections, the Israeli Right and Left expressed explicit support for one side or another, including elected officials and political activists.