I've noticed almost every post unfavorable to Viktor Orban gets bombarded by comments praising his "excellent governance" and the "great things he's done for Hungary" (usually coming from subject matter experts that can't actually point Hungary on a map).
So I figure we should take a lot at the great things he's done for Hungary, and in the spirit of me trying to get as many insults as possible from pro-Orban Hungarian ultra-nationalists, I'll do it by comparing Hungary to quite possible their favorite neighbor and a country often traditionally seen as having one of EU's most corrupt and incompetent political elites (a point I do not dispute): Romania.
So I figure we should take a lot at the great things he's done for Hungary, and in the spirit of me trying to get as many insults as possible from pro-Orban Hungarian ultra-nationalists, I'll do it by comparing Hungary to quite possible their favorite neighbor and a country often traditionally seen as having one of EU's most corrupt and incompetent political elites (a point I do not dispute): Romania.
Despite having about half of Romania's population, in 2003 (shortly after Orban's first term), Hungary had a GDP of $85 bil. while Romania's GDP was $57 bil.
Today, after too many Orban years to count, Hungary's GDP is about $220 billion, while Romania's stands at $370 bil.
Today, after too many Orban years to count, Hungary's GDP is about $220 billion, while Romania's stands at $370 bil.
In 2010, just as Orban started his second reign, the country stood as the 53rd least corrupt country in the world, while Romania was ranked as 75th.
In 2023, after 13 years of Orban, Hungary succeeded in being ranked as more corrupt than Romania, which is quite impressive.
In 2023, after 13 years of Orban, Hungary succeeded in being ranked as more corrupt than Romania, which is quite impressive.
Something Romanians used to admire Hungary for was its highway system, which in 2010 stood at about 1200km, about 5 times bigger than Romania's nearly nonexistent one.
Today, while Hungary still has a lead in this matter, Romania seems to be on the verge of catching up.
Today, while Hungary still has a lead in this matter, Romania seems to be on the verge of catching up.
Pre-Orban Hungary could at the very least pride itself in having a minimum wage about twice that of Romania (or more, at various points in time).
In 2024, thanks to Orban's sovereign economic genius, the average wage in Hungary and Romania stands about equal.
In 2024, thanks to Orban's sovereign economic genius, the average wage in Hungary and Romania stands about equal.
Utterly obsessed with "traditional values" and fertility rates (which he occasionally blames the LGBT community for) Orban's genius brought Hungary's fertility rate at 1.5, one of EU's worst.
Romania, whose political class doesn't care one bit about the matter, stands at 1.7.
Romania, whose political class doesn't care one bit about the matter, stands at 1.7.
This post should not be seen and is not intended as a testament of "Romania's economic prowess and development", quite the opposite.
This is and should be read as what Orban and autocracy in general does when compared even to a corrupt and less than perfect democratic state.
This is and should be read as what Orban and autocracy in general does when compared even to a corrupt and less than perfect democratic state.
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