Hungary as a model for American authoritarians

Paul Krugman points to Hungary as a credible model for how the US can become an authoritarian country with democracy effectively suppressed (American Democracy May Be Dying New York Times 04/09/2020):

To see how a modern democracy can die, look at events in Europe, especially Hungary, over the past decade.

What happened in Hungary, beginning in 2011, was that Fidesz, the nation's white nationalist ruling party, took advantage of its position to rig the electoral system, effectively making its rule permanent. Then it further consolidated its control, using political power to reward friendly businesses while punishing critics, and moved to suppress independent news media.

Until recently, it seemed as if Viktor Orban, Hungary's de facto dictator, might stop with soft authoritarianism, presiding over a regime that preserved some of the outward forms of democracy, neutralizing and punishing opposition without actually making criticism illegal. But now his government has used the coronavirus as an excuse to abandon even the pretense of constitutional government, giving Orban the power to rule by decree. [my emphasis]

The Austrian Social Democratic politician Muna Duzdar (the first Muslim to serve as a member of an Austrian national government), posted this criticism of a new anti-LGBTQ position of Hungary's government on Facebook:

My translation from the German]:

This is happening in the middle of our neighboring country, Hungary, an EU Member State. I do not recognize this country. I often wonder how this development into an authoritarian state could be so rapid. Unfortunately, we also see clearly that minorities are the first to be oppressed and stigmatized.

But what I have been observing with incomprehension for years in Austrian politics [is]: before our borders, our neighbor is step-by-step saying goodbye to democracy and the rule of law, but I have never heard a word of criticism, but only appeasement, from the current Chancellor [Sebastian Kurz] and the turquoise ÖVP [Kurz’ Christian Democratic conservative party]. Can you understand why this is so? What does Kurz have in common with Orbán?

The linked article, Ungarn will trans* Personen nicht mehr anerkennen NOIZZ.de 07.04.2020, comments:

Orbán ist seit 2010 Ministerpräsident Ungarns und verfolgt einen politischen Ansatz, mit dem er die Demokratie des Landes nach und nach zerstört. In der vergangenen Woche hat das ungarische Parlament den rechtsnationalen Orbán per Dekret die volle Regierungsgewalt zugesprochen, solange das Coronavirus als Bedrohung für die Nation angesehen wird – und damit die letzten demokratischen Kontrollsysteme des Parlaments ausgehebelt. Denn mit seinen aktuellen umfassenden Sondervollmachten kann Orbán ohne zeitliche Befristung und gegebenenfalls ohne parlamentarische Kontrolle regieren – eine Demokratie ist das nicht mehr.

[Orbán has been Prime Minister of Hungary since 2010 and has been pursuing a political approach that is gradually destroying the country's democracy. Last week, the Hungarian parliament granted full government power to the right-wing nationalist Orbán to rule by decree, as long as the coronavirus is seen as a threat to the nation – thereby undermining parliament's last democratic control systems. With its current comprehensive special powers, Orbán can govern without a time limit and, if necessary, without parliamentary control – that is no longer a democracy.]