InfoAnda - Insight: Hungary's far-right party gains as it targets Roma |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

States send mixed message on texting and driving | 19 September 2009
Outed blogger who flamed model angry at Google | 24 August 2009
September 11 anniversary set for Muslim centre marches | 19 August 2010

Continuity expected in North Korea: think tank | | 11 March 2012

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Insight: Hungary's far-right party gains as it targets Roma |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Aerospace & Defense Investing Simplified Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Campaign Polling Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus Nicholas Wapshott Bethany McLean Anatole Kaletsky Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Reihan Salam Frederick Kempe Christopher Papagianis Mark Leonard Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (0) Slideshow Full Focus Editor's choice Download our Wider Image iPad app Images of September Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Divorce in two countries is double the trouble 24 Oct 2012 White House told of militant claim two hours after Libya attack: emails 23 Oct 2012 Obama tackles rape comments, "fiscal cliff" on TV talk show 24 Oct 2012 UPDATE 4-U.S. sues Bank of America over 'Hustle' mortgage fraud 24 Oct 2012 U.S. sues Bank of America over "Hustle" mortgage fraud 24 Oct 2012 Discussed 511 White House told of militant claim two hours after Libya attack: emails 149 After final debate, Obama says election comes down to trust 119 Obama talks Libya and Biden’s swimsuit on ”Daily Show” Sponsored Links Insight: Hungary's far-right party gains as it targets Roma Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Opposition turns up heat at Hungary '56 rallies Tue, Oct 23 2012 Hungary far-right marches to denounce Roma Wed, Oct 17 2012 Analysis & Opinion Obama shows Biden some love after debate mention Sustainable full employment is within reach: Green Party U.S. presidential candidate Stein Related Topics World » 1 of 2. Supporters of the Hungarian far right Jobbik party march during a demonstration at the Avas apartment projects in Miskolc, 180 km (112 miles) east of Budapest, October 17, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Laszlo Balogh By Marton Dunai DEVECSER, Hungary | Thu Oct 25, 2012 2:44am EDT DEVECSER, Hungary (Reuters) - Decades of animosity between Hungarians and ethnic Roma in this small town in western Hungary had attracted little attention until the far-right Jobbik party saw an opportunity to score a few political points. A protest rally organized by the party, a little after a brawl between a Roma family and some local people, turned into a running street battle that has left the town thoroughly shaken but which Jobbik was able to exploit for its own ends. It is a strategy that has worked well for Jobbik, a party that once made use of a "Hungarian Guard" of vigilantes dressed in fascist-style uniforms to target the Roma. Support for Jobbik, or the Movement for a Better Hungary, is strong and the party could well hold the balance of power between the ruling Fidesz party and the left wing opposition after parliamentary elections in 2014. That could allow Jobbik to wield a decisive influence over the government, pushing pet issues such as a rethink of European Union membership and a realigning of economic ties towards countries of the east. Recession-hit Hungary may be forced to accept aid from the International Monetary Fund if economic conditions get worse. That would compel the government to introduce unpopular austerity measures and could mean more votes for Jobbik. Fidesz insiders deny it, but pressure from Jobbik is widely seen as already influencing the government's agenda, pushing it towards unorthodox and widely criticized economic policies. The conflict between Roma and Hungarians is Jobbik's principal means of achieving the support at the ballot box it needs to push its policies in Budapest. Fidesz has lost more than a million voters since 2010, the opposition remains weak, and more than half the electorate is undecided. Jobbik meanwhile has retained its base and is the third strongest political force in Hungary. DEVECSER FLARE-UP The party is skilled at making national headlines out of local flare-ups, which is what happened in Devecser. About a third of the 5,000 inhabitants are Roma. They make a living largely from collecting second hand goods in Austria and Germany and selling them at a giant flea market just outside the town. Many local Hungarians take a dim view of the practice. One day in July, Ferenc Horvath, a stocky Roma furniture dealer, was driving his van along a narrow street when a car blocked his way. He told the driver, who was staying at a nearby house, to move. Words were exchanged and Horvath drove on. Two days later Horvath's family and friends returned to the house. In circumstances that remain unclear, a bloody fight ensued. Both sides, Roma and Hungarian, used spades and baseball bats, even a knife. A crowd gathered, mostly local Roma. According to a report by the interior ministry, the police booked 17 people and started an investigation. To some in Devecser that was not enough. They asked for help on a far-right online news portal, and someone also called Jobbik. The party obliged, and organized a protest to demand better public safety. On posters announcing the event extremist groups were listed alongside Jobbik, raising fears of violence. According to witnesses and a video recording of the August 5 protest, speakers invoked the darkest periods of Hungarian history. Zsolt Tyirityan, the leader of a group called the "Army of Outlaws", told the crowd to get tough with the Roma, even citing the Nazi idea of Lebensraum, or living space. "Force demands respect," he bellowed. "What will we show against these people? Only force! There will be no Gypsy Martin Luther King, no Roma Malcolm X, because we will stamp out this phenomenon that wants to eradicate us from our living space!" Some of the 1,000 protesters then marched to the Roma part of town, threatening people, throwing rocks and yelling insults. The video shows thugs throwing half-bricks into the yards of Roma houses and the Roma hurling the bricks back. By chance there were no serious injuries. "They attacked everyone they saw," Ferenc Horvath said a few weeks later at the flea market. "They called us genetic rejects, or worse. People are still scared out of their wits." Jobbik denied responsibility for the violence. However, Jobbik MP Gabor Ferenczi, who put the protest together, later took credit for an increased police presence in the town. WOODEN CROSSES Jobbik registered as a political party in October 2003; by Christmas, it had 2 percent voter support after erecting wooden crosses to protest against the holiday's commercialization. In September 2006, violent protests erupted when a recording leaked of Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany admitting that his Socialist party had lied for years about the state of the economy to gain reelection that year. Jobbik took to the streets. It campaigned against police brutality, held rallies and began a meteoric rise. "There was no way to do politics the traditional way any more," Jobbik chairman Gabor Vona said on a 2010 propaganda DVD. "Local chapters, a board, a program ... it was too little." "It was just before Christmas that year that I came up with the idea of the Hungarian Guard." Later banned, the Guard was a uniformed voluntary vigilante group that bore a resemblance to the fascists of World War II. Unarmed but belligerent, it helped the party target a new political scapegoat: the Roma. In October that year, a teacher was lynched by a Roma mob in eastern Hungary, provoking nationwide outrage. Jobbik coined the term "Roma crime" and began to vilify the country's 700,000 Roma as free-loading, lazy, and criminal. The party insists it only targets criminals, but the public perception is far less nuanced and supporters viewed the Guard as a sort anti-Roma defense force. The media took up the story, but the critical coverage served only to launch Jobbik into the mainstream. "We could never have bought the air time to promote Jobbik and fill the ranks of the Guard the way this coverage did," Jobbik executive director Gabor Szabo said in the party video. Success came in 2009. Jobbik scored 14 percent at European Parliament elections. Then in 2010, it became the third biggest party in Hungary's parliament, polling 17 percent and winning 45 of the 386 seats. The gains could easily continue in 2014, said historian Rudolf Paksa, an expert on the far-right, who said that in an extreme case the party could get 30-35 percent of the vote. SUMMER CAMP At a Jobbik summer camp in Velence, 60 km (40 miles) west of Budapest, about 100 activists gathered this year for a two-day political session and a morale boost by Vona. "We are normal people in a screwed-up world, even if some see us as screwed-up people in a normal world," Vona told them. "The Jobbik brand right now is dark, violent and gloomy. We did not paint it dark, but we cannot win a majority like this. We need to refine it to gain a brighter, younger brand." Most of the audience were barely of voting age, but young people are Jobbik's strongest asset, and its communications strategy is largely built on the internet and its young users. Jobbik says it has good relations with a far-right web site called Kuruc.info, which features a column called "Gypsy Crime" and often runs pieces by Jobbik leaders. Some opinion polls suggest Jobbik is already neck-and-neck with Fidesz in the age group below 30. If Jobbik had its way, Hungary would be a lot harsher on its Roma. It may not be a member of the European Union. And it would definitely not be talking about loans and aid deals with the West, pursuing instead engagement in the Middle East and Asia. "It was a grave mistake of the post-Communist era to naively tie Hungary's fortunes to the mast of a sinking ship and pursue 100 percent Euro-Atlanticism," Jobbik's foreign policy chief Marton Gyongyosi told Reuters. Gyongyosi, whose office is decorated with Iranian and Turkish souvenirs, said Hungarians are the descendants of Turkic peoples and should cultivate those ancient ties. Jobbik has protested against EU membership, even burning the EU flag outside the Union's Budapest offices. Gyongyosi said the IMF has "bled Hungary dry for decades" through loans and austerity requirements, so Jobbik will call for financing from eastern countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan or China instead of the IMF or EU. Jobbik also uses anti-Semitic language and some of its deputies espouse such ideas. The party does not embrace this openly but does little to dispel the image. One Jobbik MP went as far as invoking the centuries-old blood libel - the accusation that Jews used Christians' blood in religious rituals - in a speech in parliament earlier this year. Fifty U.S. Congressmen then wrote to Prime Minister Orban to complain about anti-Semitism in Hungary. This compelled Vona to reply, rejecting the charge. But for the liberal members of parliament who sit next to Jobbik deputies, this is empty talk from a party that basically shrugs when it is labeled anti-Semitic. (Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Giles Elgood) World Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Thursday, 25 October 2012
Syria government indicates accepts holiday truce: Russia |
Syria may exploit instability in Lebanon: Clinton |
Mali war plan to be ready within weeks: AU |
Ecuador fears for Assange's health, seeks UK safe passage |
Berlusconi confirms will not run in 2013 Italy election |
Crew of Argentine ship seized in Ghana fly home |
Apple's stock chart loses some sheen before results |
Symantec beats Street view as new CEO begins turnaround |
Zynga's revenue rises, beats Street; shares climb |
Chipmaker LSI's revenue forecast below estimates |
Tom Cruise files $50 million lawsuit over claims he abandoned Suri |
Jason Aldean takes Billboard No. 1, Swift's Red storming |
Rare James Bond posters hitting auction block in LA |
Ghost Exchange film questions runaway stock market technology |
Liz Taylor tops list of highest earning dead celebrities |
Fighting erupts near Damascus ahead of truce deadline |
Egypt brokers informal Israel/Gaza truce: Israeli official |
Insight: Hungary's far-right party gains as it targets Roma |
North Korea new leader still a mystery after nearly a year: Pentagon |
After decades behind bamboo curtain, Laos to join WTO |
Disabled South Koreans protest inhumane benefits system |
African Union reinstates Mali ahead of military action |
Syria government indicates accepts holiday truce: Russia |
Apple's Mac flies in under the radar |
Sprint unveils new data plans for 4G LTE tablets |
Tech focus now on Microsoft Windows 8, Surface tablet |
TSMC sees six months of weaker sales after record Q3 profit |
U.S. ITC judge says Samsung infringed Apple patents |
Obama tackles rape comments, fiscal cliff on TV talk show |
Ex-Britney Spears confidante sobs over death threats |
Fighting rages in Syria before Brahimi's truce |
Libyan suspect in U.S. envoy attack killed in Cairo |
WikiLeaks says releases hacked U.S. detainee rules |
Insight: Bomb blast brings Lebanon's party capital to juddering halt |
Man in Afghan uniform kills two U.S. servicemen: NATO |
Lawyer for China's deposed Bo unsure if he can take case |
Tymoshenko urges Ukrainians to reject Yanukovich at election |
South Africa union agrees gold mine pay deal as most strikers return |
UK Savile police staggered at extent of inquiry |
Georgian tycoon Ivanishvili confirmed as prime minister |
Microsoft set to unveil Windows 8, Surface tablet |
Windows 8 recasts PC industry: CEO Ballmer |
Exclusive: Huawei partner offered U.S. tech to Iran |
Analysts see recovery sprouting at FarmVille creator Zynga |
China's ZTE slumps to quarterly loss, margins bleed |
Rolling Stones surprise Paris with $20 gig |
Obama tackles rape comments, fiscal cliff on TV talk show |
1960s music hero Riley: The pendulum will swing |
Beethoven discovery gets first performance in UK |
China's Ai Weiwei bemoans block on his Gangnam parody |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01