the generation of politicians which are characterised by fidesz, viktor 0rban s party, where i started my political career 32 years ago, we thought we are the party of the west. actually, 0rban, even 15 years ago, mentioned in a speech that fidesz party is the new western generation, and what we see today is everything but that. so that, of course, makes me very sad. and i think hungary is a trouble for hungarians, and also for europeans. yeah, the scale of the trouble that you see hungary being in is pretty obvious if one looks at the title of your new book, viktor 0rban, you call it, and the subversion of hungary: tainted democracy. it is pretty extraordinary to think that, what, three decades ago you and 0rban were like that. you were political allies, you were co founders of this fidesz movement.
to think that, what, three decades ago you and orban were like that. you were political allies, you were co founders of this fidesz movement. well, fidesz was a fascinating party which was established in 1988 as a youth party. and it s one of the most successful party, i think, definitely in eastern europe, but maybe even in europe. and it was a liberal alternative and radical organisation. this is how we defined ourselves. yeah. it wanted to dismantle the communist system. it looked to the west for inspiration. it was all about freedom and democracy and a sense of civil society which was absolutely of the west, not of the totalitarian moscow soviet experience. yes. not only. even among the hungarian opposition party, fidesz party was a very liberal party, very pro civil society. we thought that democracy can
of the west. actually, orban, even 15 years ago, mentioned in a speech that fidesz party is the new western generation, and what we see today is everything but that. so that, of course, makes me very sad. and i think hungary is a trouble for hungarians, and also for europeans. yeah, the scale of the trouble that you see hungary being in is pretty obvious if one looks at the title of your new book, viktor orban, you call it, and the subversion of hungary: tainted democracy. it is pretty extraordinary to think that, what, three decades ago you and orban were like that. you were political allies, you were co founders of this fidesz movement. well, fidesz was a fascinating party which was established in 1988 as a youth party.