This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/03/world/europe/hungary-to-vote-on-accepting-more-migrants-as-europe-watches.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Hungary Votes on Accepting More Migrants, as Europe Watches | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| BUDAPEST — Hungarians are expected to hand the country’s autocratic leader a victory on Sunday by voting “no” in a national referendum on whether to accept more migrants. What that leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, intends to do after the vote, however, remains a mystery. | BUDAPEST — Hungarians are expected to hand the country’s autocratic leader a victory on Sunday by voting “no” in a national referendum on whether to accept more migrants. What that leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, intends to do after the vote, however, remains a mystery. |
| The referendum — on which the government spent at least 10 billion Hungarian forint, about $36 million, to run its “no” campaign — includes no specifics about legislation or government action. | The referendum — on which the government spent at least 10 billion Hungarian forint, about $36 million, to run its “no” campaign — includes no specifics about legislation or government action. |
| “What will happen after the referendum will depend partly on the results themselves, but also on what is happening on the international scene,” said Zoltan Kovacs, Mr. Orban’s chief international spokesman, who declined to provide any more details. | “What will happen after the referendum will depend partly on the results themselves, but also on what is happening on the international scene,” said Zoltan Kovacs, Mr. Orban’s chief international spokesman, who declined to provide any more details. |
| Mr. Orban made a name for himself by building a heavily guarded, razor-wire fence across the country’s southern borders to stem the flood of migrants into Hungary. He is the leader of one of a growing number of nationalistic, right-wing parties spreading across Europe fueled by fear of migrants and resentment about the centralization of the European Union’s power. | Mr. Orban made a name for himself by building a heavily guarded, razor-wire fence across the country’s southern borders to stem the flood of migrants into Hungary. He is the leader of one of a growing number of nationalistic, right-wing parties spreading across Europe fueled by fear of migrants and resentment about the centralization of the European Union’s power. |
| Leaders across the Continent are eyeing the outcome of the vote and what actions Mr. Orban takes in its aftermath. | Leaders across the Continent are eyeing the outcome of the vote and what actions Mr. Orban takes in its aftermath. |
| Poland’s foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, recently echoed Mr. Orban’s call for restructuring the European Union to return more power to individual nations. “Our proposals are quite radical,” Mr. Waszczykowski said. | Poland’s foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, recently echoed Mr. Orban’s call for restructuring the European Union to return more power to individual nations. “Our proposals are quite radical,” Mr. Waszczykowski said. |
| The Czech Parliament has also discussed proposals to emulate Hungary by building border fences and beefing up border security. In Austria, a right-wing candidate has a solid chance of becoming the next president. And support for nationalist parties is surging in France and Denmark. | The Czech Parliament has also discussed proposals to emulate Hungary by building border fences and beefing up border security. In Austria, a right-wing candidate has a solid chance of becoming the next president. And support for nationalist parties is surging in France and Denmark. |
| “Far-right movements are on the rise everywhere, and there are reasons for that,” said Gabor Fodor, the head of the Hungarian Liberal Party. “The E.U. is very slow. Look at the 2008 financial crisis, the subsequent euro crisis and now the refugee crisis. People can feel it. There is nothing happening.” | “Far-right movements are on the rise everywhere, and there are reasons for that,” said Gabor Fodor, the head of the Hungarian Liberal Party. “The E.U. is very slow. Look at the 2008 financial crisis, the subsequent euro crisis and now the refugee crisis. People can feel it. There is nothing happening.” |
| Further fueling populist leaders, Mr. Fodor said, is the reality that Europe’s economy is less robust than it was in the 1990s. | Further fueling populist leaders, Mr. Fodor said, is the reality that Europe’s economy is less robust than it was in the 1990s. |
| “The middle class doesn’t have as much. The economy is not as strong,” Mr. Fodor said. “The welfare state is on the way down, and this has an impact on people’s lives.” | “The middle class doesn’t have as much. The economy is not as strong,” Mr. Fodor said. “The welfare state is on the way down, and this has an impact on people’s lives.” |
| Even Europe’s most powerful leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, is in real danger of falling to this nationalist tide in next year’s elections. | Even Europe’s most powerful leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, is in real danger of falling to this nationalist tide in next year’s elections. |
| “We are in the midst of a backlash against globalization, and it is a widespread phenomenon,” said Stefan Lehne, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. “The general perception is that things have spiraled out of control. There is an increasing resistance to international business agreements. And this phenomenon has led to renationalization of individual states and rediscovery of national identity.” | “We are in the midst of a backlash against globalization, and it is a widespread phenomenon,” said Stefan Lehne, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. “The general perception is that things have spiraled out of control. There is an increasing resistance to international business agreements. And this phenomenon has led to renationalization of individual states and rediscovery of national identity.” |
| Marta Pardavi, a chairwoman of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a refugee rights group, said Mr. Orban insisted that “he needs the demonstrated support of the Hungarian people in the referendum so he can take courageous and bold steps.” | Marta Pardavi, a chairwoman of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a refugee rights group, said Mr. Orban insisted that “he needs the demonstrated support of the Hungarian people in the referendum so he can take courageous and bold steps.” |
| But Mr. Orban has not been specific about what those steps will be. | But Mr. Orban has not been specific about what those steps will be. |
| Instead, there are rumors: There is talk of an amendment to Hungary’s Constitution preventing the European Union from imposing rules on the country without the approval of the Hungarian Parliament. Some say Mr. Orban is likely to hold early elections to take advantage of the referendum’s momentum. | Instead, there are rumors: There is talk of an amendment to Hungary’s Constitution preventing the European Union from imposing rules on the country without the approval of the Hungarian Parliament. Some say Mr. Orban is likely to hold early elections to take advantage of the referendum’s momentum. |
| Mr. Orban wants more autonomy from the European Union, but he also does not want to threaten the flow of desperately needed aid from the bloc’s headquarters in Brussels. | Mr. Orban wants more autonomy from the European Union, but he also does not want to threaten the flow of desperately needed aid from the bloc’s headquarters in Brussels. |
| Whether Mr. Orban will actually storm up the Danube and lay siege to Brussels, or whether this was just a very expensive exercise in rallying domestic support, is the subject of much debate here. | Whether Mr. Orban will actually storm up the Danube and lay siege to Brussels, or whether this was just a very expensive exercise in rallying domestic support, is the subject of much debate here. |
| “Most of the effort, I would say, is for domestic political purposes,” said Csaba Toth, the director of strategy for the Republikon Institute, a research and advocacy group that has been critical of the government. “Whenever the migration issue is on the table, the government’s popularity goes up. When something else is on the agenda, the government’s popularity goes down.” | “Most of the effort, I would say, is for domestic political purposes,” said Csaba Toth, the director of strategy for the Republikon Institute, a research and advocacy group that has been critical of the government. “Whenever the migration issue is on the table, the government’s popularity goes up. When something else is on the agenda, the government’s popularity goes down.” |
| But as the flow of migrants into Hungary has slowed in recent months — largely because of Mr. Orban’s border fence — the issue has slipped from public consciousness. | But as the flow of migrants into Hungary has slowed in recent months — largely because of Mr. Orban’s border fence — the issue has slipped from public consciousness. |
| “Last year, it was easy to keep the migration issue on the agenda,” Mr. Toth said. “We had a real refugee crisis. It was evident everywhere. Now, we don’t, so they have to make it a political initiative to keep the migration issue in the public’s mind.” | “Last year, it was easy to keep the migration issue on the agenda,” Mr. Toth said. “We had a real refugee crisis. It was evident everywhere. Now, we don’t, so they have to make it a political initiative to keep the migration issue in the public’s mind.” |
| Mr. Orban has been aided by a lack of unity among the opposition, mainly because there is little popular support anywhere for admitting more migrants. | Mr. Orban has been aided by a lack of unity among the opposition, mainly because there is little popular support anywhere for admitting more migrants. |
| Most left-wing parties urged their supporters to stay home Sunday, hoping to deny Mr. Orban the turnout he needs for the referendum to be declared valid. | Most left-wing parties urged their supporters to stay home Sunday, hoping to deny Mr. Orban the turnout he needs for the referendum to be declared valid. |
| “When a question doesn’t make sense, why take part?” said Timea Szabo, one of the chairmen of the left-wing Dialogue for Hungary Party. “Orban is purposely misleading the Hungarian people in a villainous way. All of this focus on migrants takes attention away from government corruption cases, the terrible state of public health and education.” | “When a question doesn’t make sense, why take part?” said Timea Szabo, one of the chairmen of the left-wing Dialogue for Hungary Party. “Orban is purposely misleading the Hungarian people in a villainous way. All of this focus on migrants takes attention away from government corruption cases, the terrible state of public health and education.” |
| Polls have indicated the “no” camp will win with 80 percent to 90 percent of the vote. | Polls have indicated the “no” camp will win with 80 percent to 90 percent of the vote. |
| But Mr. Orban’s government finds itself the victim of its own earlier actions. In 2011, the government raised the level of voter turnout necessary for a referendum to be considered valid, to 50 percent from 25 percent. Critics said the move was intended to stifle popular efforts to overturn Mr. Orban’s policies. | But Mr. Orban’s government finds itself the victim of its own earlier actions. In 2011, the government raised the level of voter turnout necessary for a referendum to be considered valid, to 50 percent from 25 percent. Critics said the move was intended to stifle popular efforts to overturn Mr. Orban’s policies. |
| The prankster Two-Tailed Dog Party, which has fought the government with irreverent humor, is urging people to purposely cast an invalid ballot, a significant number of which would deny the government the 50 percent threshold. | The prankster Two-Tailed Dog Party, which has fought the government with irreverent humor, is urging people to purposely cast an invalid ballot, a significant number of which would deny the government the 50 percent threshold. |
| Small turnout could embarrass Mr. Orban and his Fidesz Party, but the prime minister has indicated that any victory, regardless of the number of ballots cast, would be viewed as a success. | Small turnout could embarrass Mr. Orban and his Fidesz Party, but the prime minister has indicated that any victory, regardless of the number of ballots cast, would be viewed as a success. |
| Voting on Sunday morning in Budapest, Mr. Orban said that while a valid result was certainly better than an invalid one, there would be “legal consequences” in either event, as long as there were more votes for “no” votes than “yes.” | Voting on Sunday morning in Budapest, Mr. Orban said that while a valid result was certainly better than an invalid one, there would be “legal consequences” in either event, as long as there were more votes for “no” votes than “yes.” |
| “According to us, only the Hungarian Parliament can decide with whom Hungarians want to live,” he said. “We will make sure this is enshrined in our legal system if it is valid or invalid.” | “According to us, only the Hungarian Parliament can decide with whom Hungarians want to live,” he said. “We will make sure this is enshrined in our legal system if it is valid or invalid.” |
| Jobbik, a far-right party, has urged its members to support the government and vote “no.” | Jobbik, a far-right party, has urged its members to support the government and vote “no.” |
| Only Mr. Fodor’s tiny Liberal Party urged citizens to vote “yes,” arguing that the referendum should be seen as a measure of support for the European Union. | Only Mr. Fodor’s tiny Liberal Party urged citizens to vote “yes,” arguing that the referendum should be seen as a measure of support for the European Union. |
| The government, though, wanted to keep the focus on what the referendum might mean for the future. | The government, though, wanted to keep the focus on what the referendum might mean for the future. |
| “A win will give ammunition to the government to push for the Europe that Hungarians want,” Mr. Kovacs, the government spokesman, said. “And what they most definitely don’t want is the Hungarian Parliament being circumvented.” | “A win will give ammunition to the government to push for the Europe that Hungarians want,” Mr. Kovacs, the government spokesman, said. “And what they most definitely don’t want is the Hungarian Parliament being circumvented.” |