New virtual theatres of war have emerged, where the Hungarian government is already under constant attack by shocking fake news, said István Simicskó, member of parliament and leader of the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KNDP), in an interview with the portal Vasárnap.hu on next year’s parliamentary elections. What do you think is really at stake in the 2022 parliamentary elections?
There is a lot at stake in every election, but I am not exaggerating when I say that, since the beginning of regime change, no election has had as much at stake as the one we are facing.
In 2010, we took over the government from the governments of Ferenc Gyurcsány and Gordon Bajnai in a situation of near-bankruptcy, but today Hungary is successful in all areas.
No one can deny the struggles, the achievements and the successes of eleven to twelve years of government. People could experience this for themselves, unlike the infamous left-wing courses before, which had caused a lot of trouble. The Fidesz-KDNP government has been able to protect and support the country and the people living here in times of crisis and danger.
By this I mean not only the pandemic of the last year and a half, but also the relief of foreign currency borrowers, the Danube flood, the red mud disaster or the management of the migration crisis.
The election is all about whether Hungary will continue to have an effective, successful and capable government, or whether the solution of the issues that fundamentally affect the future of the country – such as migration or the defence of our national sovereignty – will be in the hands of a group that is divided, powerless and therefore completely helpless along a variety of party interests.
How is the left preparing for the elections?
They, too, see that there is a lot at stake in the election, although the fact that they have completely abandoned their previously expressed principles and have quarrelled with each other and with Ferenc Gyurcsány shows that they are not concerned with questions of national destiny, but with their own interests.
After three defeats, the left is desperately trying to come back to power, and it will use every means to achieve this.
Their cooperation is not based on a set of values like ours, but on a kind of alliance of interests whose only goal is to gain power.
How vulnerable are online spaces to democracy?
We can see that serious military conflicts are decreasing worldwide, but our joy about this is limited as new virtual theatres of war have emerged. We are now under constant fire, so to speak. The Hungarian government is under constant attack, including shocking fake news, the regular appearance of worrying statements by celebrities who do not know about our country and the issue in question, the controlled reporting of left-wing organizations that pretend to be impartial, and even various court cases. The influence of online spaces has increased enormously in the lives of democratic countries. The information content of foreign-owned social media platforms can be used very effectively to manipulate people. This has a significant impact on expression of opinion, political activity and, ultimately, on the outcome of the elections themselves.
In recent years, we have seen what kind of “work” has been done on these platforms in foreign elections. Nor can we doubt that we need to be prepared for a similar information campaign in the Hungarian parliamentary elections.
Can social media decide the fate of the elections?
The fact is that campaigns are increasingly being shifted to virtual worlds. Today, there are almost seven million Hungarian Facebook users. Social networking sites are on the rise, so we need to be more present in these areas.
I wouldn’t be surprised if various left-wing lie factories were set up on these platforms to discredit pro-government politicians.
After twelve years of government, it is precisely the generation of twenties and thirty-year-olds who cannot know the dangers of a left-wing government based on austerity measures.
This is indeed the case, and they are the ones who feel most comfortable in these virtual spaces, so it is important that we address them. But young people should not be taught, but shown the possibilities, the paths and the paths they can take.
We also need to speak our minds and represent our views in these changing spaces. As a university lecturer, I find that young people are very receptive to the problems and challenges of our time. They are looking for real points of contact. All talented, intelligent young people basically want to get ahead. They want to get to know themselves and their abilities, they want to realize their dreams. I believe that this also includes starting a family and having children. I see that the majority of young people understand their own responsibility in the world. They want to develop their knowledge and talents.
We need to help them with this, as parents, teachers and representatives.
This also means that we pass on to them the experience we have gained and that we consider valuable. Patriotism is an important part of the current government’s policies and a feeling that must be passed on to future generations. I hope that many young people will recognize this.
Source: Vasarnap.hu / Magyar Nemzet
