Donald J Trump finally succeeded. He skillfully brought about regime change – not in Iran, but in Orban’s Hungary. On the eve of the general election, Trump attempted to bribe the good people of Hungary. He pledged to use the “full economic might” of the US to boost the Hungarian economy if Hungarians would only vote to keep Orban in power. “We are excited to invest in the future prosperity that will be generated by Orban’s continued leadership”, Trump posted on his Truth Social.
Just days earlier Vice President JD Vance flew to Budapest to campaign by Orban’s side while ironically accusing the European Commission of “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference”. Instead of heeding Trump’s endorsement of Orban, the Hungarian electorate dealt him a savage blow. The Opposition Tisza party didn’t just win; it gained a super-majority in parliament leaving Orban no choice but to concede.
That regime change felt more like a world cup celebration victory with tens of thousands of Hungarians on the street, dancing and partying late into the night. It was a night to remember – a combination of ecstasy, elation and relief that after 16 long years of Orban’s corrupt abuse, the country had finally rid itself of the curse.
That cataclysmic defeat of Hungary’s strongman felt even sweeter after Trump’s clumsy attempt to coerce the Hungarian electorate to stick to Orban. And it wasn’t just Trump who was pushing for another Orban victory. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini, France’s Marine Le Pen, Germany’s far-right AfD’s Alice Weidel were all rooting for him.
Even Putin was on Orban’s side. With such overwhelming backing, nobody believed that Orban could be defeated. Everybody assumed that the powerful Viktor would find a way of usurping the will of the people. After all, he’d changed the electoral rules, he’s used public funds to set up propagandistic billboards around the country, he’d captured the media completely. Surely Orban would find a way of clinging on to power.
But the public tidal wave of resentment and fury that lashed at Orban’s Fidesz on election day was simply overwhelming. The man that nobody imagined could be swept from power was totally annihilated at the polls. One reveller in the streets of Budapest captured the mood of the Hungarian nation – “We are sick of this shit”, she screamed before joining that giant rolling party chanting “Russia go home”. Hungary had punished Orban.
Hungarians didn’t miss their opportunity to reject the rampant corruption and obscene looting of the state by Orban and his cronies. The level of greed and abuse was epitomised in the sprawling residence of Orban’s own father – complete with manicured gardens, swimming pools, underground garage and zebras darting across his massive property. The zebra became the mascot of protest against the staggering wealth amassed by Orban’s inner circle. Plush toys of zebras were held up during public demonstrations. Stickers of zebras were stuck onto the government’s propaganda billboards.
Over 16 years Orban had captured the Hungarian state. He engineered a coup in slow motion. He whittled away at the checks and balances that constrained his power, he rewrote election laws to favour his party, he put loyalists in control of the country’s media and he appointed friends to key positions. He siphoned state funds to his cronies. Orban dragged his country down the press freedom rankings and turned a full democracy into a corrupt country. While Hungary’s economy was growing many paid little attention to what was happening. But as inflation soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and economic stagnation set in, Hungarians grew increasing disgruntled at the widening divide between their own precarious financial situation and the obscene wealth of its ruling class.
When the time came Hungary brought down the invincible Orban with an almighty crash to the delirious delight of an absolute majority of Hungarians. They showed the world that even in the face of insurmountable obstacles the unthinkable could happen.
Malta’s situation is not much different from Hungary’s. For 13 years Labour has slowly chipped away at Malta’s democratic institutions, it has changed laws to ensure that money launderers and tax cheats escape justice, it attempted to change development laws to favour wealthy developers. Like Orban, Labour captured the state media. It diverted state funds to party donors in direct orders and contracts. Labour put party loyalists and even party officials in key positions, rewarding them with inflated remuneration packages. The obscene wealth of Abela’s cabinet ministers riled even Labour’s own supporters. Roderick Galdes’ properties across Malta, Sicily, England and mainland Italy was too bitter a pill to swallow. Anton Refalo owned 27 different properties and was in a property once occupied by Mafia superboss Toto Riina despite having no legal basis to that property. Robert Abela’s own sprawling massive Zejtun property, his Xewkija boutique hotel, his Marsaskala property and his luxury yacht highlighted the huge divide between Labour’s leadership and its very own grassroots.
Hungarians realised that the rosy picture painted in Orban’s ubiquitous propaganda billboards was just a lie. They could see with their own eyes that as their own personal situation deteriorated their leaders were getting richer by the minute.
Hopefully Malta too will realise in time that the fantasy project that Labour promised – meritocracy, transparency, good governance – was just a scam. Instead Labour dragged down Malta in the press freedom rankings. It subverted the country’s’ democratic institutions.
Labour has had enough time to deliver what it promised. Instead Labour siphoned taxpayers’ money into the pockets of friends and cronies. Vitals and Steward have gone and with them millions of our money into Swiss companies that rewarded Joseph Muscat with tens of thousands of euro. The promised new Gozo hospital, a fully refurbished St Luke’s Hospital and a revamped Karin Grech Hospital remain as elusive as ever. The grand Pininfarina project in Birzebbuga, the Floriana St Anne greening, the San Gwann main road pedestrianisation remain just distant dreams.
Hungary has restored faith in democracy. It has shown that at some stage those who abuse the trust of the people will face the punishment they deserve. It’s about time Malta gets its own regime change.
