Religious Neo-Nationalism in Hungary

Abstract

“Monks! On your knees, to prayer!” The view still persists in Hungarian political folklore that those words were spoken by Viktor Orbán in 1991, in the first parliament following the change of system. Although it is not possible to prove that he shouted precisely those words, the story is unquestionably based on reality. Bertalan Andrásfalvy, at that time minister for culture and education made the following remarks regarding Viktor Orbán in his speech in parliament on 25 February 1992: “Democracy not only tolerates but also values otherness, the opinion, world-view, party allegiance, culture and origin of others. In the same way as it values itself. I know it is difficult when we are often trying to make the convictions of the other person look ridiculous, even here in Parliament ... when the Christian Democratic side is saying something about religion or the church, the faction leader behind me [Viktor Orbán] shouts: To prayer, or let’s sing the national anthem.”2 Twenty-eight years later, on 13 May 2019 Donald Trump received Viktor Orbán in the White House. At the press conference held in the Oval Office, after words of praise, the US President said to the Hungarian Prime Minister: “And you have been great with respect to Christian communi1