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Mass Protests Push Hungary to Cancel Controversial Internet Tax
Prime Minister Viktor Orban scraps proposed tax after large-scale anti-government protests rock Budapest
Oct 31, 2014
Mass protests in Budapest this week against a proposed Internet usage tax apparently worked: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday that his government would scrap the tax, at least for now.
"We are not Communists, we don't govern against the people," Mr. Orban said in his regular weekly interview on Hungarian radio. "We govern together with the people. So this tax, in this form, cannot be introduced."
Protest organizers, who said the levy not only imposed a financial burden but threatened to restrict free speech, silence dissent, and access to information, celebrated the U-turn. "Mr. Orban admitted his defeat," they said in a statement. "We are the people! And we the people have the right to rule the country." A victory rally is planned for Friday evening.
The BBC's Nick Thorpe, writing from Budapest, noted that "Orban does not often back down, but he has done so on this occasion for several reasons."
For one thing, the proposed tax of about 61 cents per gigabyte of data managed to unify those who are opposed to Orban and his ruling Fidesz party, which has been accused of authoritarian impulses. The reasons for the tax were poorly communicated, while opposition was well-organized. And Orban's line about Communists, Thorpe said, is "a sign that growing comparisons between Fidesz and the old Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party are hitting the mark."
"What happens next?" Thorpe wondered. "Mr. Orban's decision to cancel the tax deprives his opponents of a valuable rallying cry. The big question for them will be whether they can use the momentum of two big rallies to create new forms of opposition to Fidesz. They have proven that he can be defeated. Mr. Orban has proven that he is more flexible than many analysts give him credit for."
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Mass protests in Budapest this week against a proposed Internet usage tax apparently worked: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday that his government would scrap the tax, at least for now.
"We are not Communists, we don't govern against the people," Mr. Orban said in his regular weekly interview on Hungarian radio. "We govern together with the people. So this tax, in this form, cannot be introduced."
Protest organizers, who said the levy not only imposed a financial burden but threatened to restrict free speech, silence dissent, and access to information, celebrated the U-turn. "Mr. Orban admitted his defeat," they said in a statement. "We are the people! And we the people have the right to rule the country." A victory rally is planned for Friday evening.
The BBC's Nick Thorpe, writing from Budapest, noted that "Orban does not often back down, but he has done so on this occasion for several reasons."
For one thing, the proposed tax of about 61 cents per gigabyte of data managed to unify those who are opposed to Orban and his ruling Fidesz party, which has been accused of authoritarian impulses. The reasons for the tax were poorly communicated, while opposition was well-organized. And Orban's line about Communists, Thorpe said, is "a sign that growing comparisons between Fidesz and the old Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party are hitting the mark."
"What happens next?" Thorpe wondered. "Mr. Orban's decision to cancel the tax deprives his opponents of a valuable rallying cry. The big question for them will be whether they can use the momentum of two big rallies to create new forms of opposition to Fidesz. They have proven that he can be defeated. Mr. Orban has proven that he is more flexible than many analysts give him credit for."
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Mass protests in Budapest this week against a proposed Internet usage tax apparently worked: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday that his government would scrap the tax, at least for now.
"We are not Communists, we don't govern against the people," Mr. Orban said in his regular weekly interview on Hungarian radio. "We govern together with the people. So this tax, in this form, cannot be introduced."
Protest organizers, who said the levy not only imposed a financial burden but threatened to restrict free speech, silence dissent, and access to information, celebrated the U-turn. "Mr. Orban admitted his defeat," they said in a statement. "We are the people! And we the people have the right to rule the country." A victory rally is planned for Friday evening.
The BBC's Nick Thorpe, writing from Budapest, noted that "Orban does not often back down, but he has done so on this occasion for several reasons."
For one thing, the proposed tax of about 61 cents per gigabyte of data managed to unify those who are opposed to Orban and his ruling Fidesz party, which has been accused of authoritarian impulses. The reasons for the tax were poorly communicated, while opposition was well-organized. And Orban's line about Communists, Thorpe said, is "a sign that growing comparisons between Fidesz and the old Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party are hitting the mark."
"What happens next?" Thorpe wondered. "Mr. Orban's decision to cancel the tax deprives his opponents of a valuable rallying cry. The big question for them will be whether they can use the momentum of two big rallies to create new forms of opposition to Fidesz. They have proven that he can be defeated. Mr. Orban has proven that he is more flexible than many analysts give him credit for."
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