Is there a need for a moderate, right-wing political movement in Hungary?

This was the main question of the “Marcali Disputa,” a meeting of Hungarian conservative intellectuals. They agreed that the once-democratic Fidesz is no longer representing moderate right-wing voters, and there is a great need for a party standing up for such values.

According to the organisers of the event, their goal was to find a moderate conservative answer to the challenges of the Hungarian political situation and the 21st century. 

Miklós Beer, bishop emeritus of Vác, talked about the political responsibility of religious people. He highlighted that it is not Christian politics that only uses religion and faith for its purposes. He said that he endured serious attacks during the migration crisis when he accepted African migrants into his home. However, they told him that they were fleeing their homes because local multinational companies polluted the streams and rivers there, and thus cut them from freshwater.

He added that

if the Orbán-regime was really Christian

it would turn to such questions very differently than it does today.

He said that during the Socialist era, he was thinking about how good it would be if the church could function as independently as ancient Christian communities did. But today, churches are far from being independent because

the government can control them through the money it gives them. 

János Stummer, one of the vice-chairman of Jobbik, said that politicians need a moral compass in times of hard political fights. Therefore, he asked those present to help them remain on the morally right road. Miklós Beer replied that he takes on the task with pleasure.

Miklós Király, former dean of the Faculty of Law at Eötvös Loránd University, said that ordinary citizens could easily feel lost in the maze of the many parties today. He said that the current government gladly calls itself conservative, but in reality, they are not. He added that Fidesz only monopolises right-wing notions and manner of speech.

The advisor of former Hungarian president Ferenc Mádl stressed that there is a turmoil on the sides of the political scale in Hungary, but