The Rhetoric of Hungarian Premier Victor Orban: Inside X Outside in the Context of Immigration Crisis

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the impact of the rhetoric of Hungarian premier Viktor Orban on the current wave of refugees in Hungary. Based on the theoretical assumptions of Post-structuralism in International Relations, it examined six Orban discourses in the year 2015 (the apex of the immigration crisis). Methodologically, it relies on Hansen (Security as practice: discourse analysis and the Bosnian War. Routledge, Londres, 2006) model of Discourse Analysis to investigate the process of linking and differentiation that opens space for ethnic or racist discrimination against individuals. It argues that the Hungarian premier presents the issue within a binary framework, with an inside × outside logic. Thus, Orban constructs the Hungarian inside as opposed to a pair of outsiders: the immigrants (primordial outsider) and the EU left-liberal elite (secondary outsider). To the first is given a threatening Muslim identity, while to the second it’s given a religionless, borderless, and nationless identity. Both outsiders are counterpoints with the Hungarian Christian-peaceful identity. The hypothesis of this chapter is that Orban’s inside × outside rhetoric reasserts the importance of the Nation State, updating to the Post-structuralist challenges of the 1990s. The common point between these periods lies in the efforts of political leaders to present themselves as protectors of the inside in the face of (outside) threats, thus legitimizing xenophobic policies towards the foreigner “other.” The new element in this discussion is the affirmation of sovereignty through the questioning of the supranational power of the EU.

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the International Political Science Association (IPSA) World Congress, Brisbane, Australia, July 21 - 25, 2018.

Annex I

Amendment of the Asylum Government Decree (in effect from 1 April 2016)

• Termination of monthly cash allowance of free use for asylum-seekers (monthly HUF 7125 / EUR 24);

• Termination of school-enrolment benefit previously provided to child asylum-seekers (Hungarian Helsinki Committee 2016: 1).

Amendment of the Asylum Act (in effect from 1 June 2016)

• Terminating the integration support scheme for recognized refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection introduced in 2013, without replacing it with any alternative measure;

• Introducing the mandatory and automatic revision of refugee status at minimum 3-year intervals following recognition or if an extradition request was issued (previously refugee status was not limited in time, yet it could be withdrawn any time);

• Reducing the mandatory periodic review of the subsidiary protection status from 5- to 3-year intervals following recognition;

• Reducing the maximum period of stay in open reception centers following the recognition of refugee status or subsidiary protection from 60 days to 30 days;

• Decreasing the automatic eligibility period for basic health care services from 1 year to 6 months following the recognition of refugee status or subsidiary protection (Hungarian Helsinki Committee 2016: 1).