Freedom House chines, with their vast patronage networks, that pre- desz has announced the intention to introduce sided over American cities a half-century ago. Fidesz parliamentary legislation designed to harass is apparently seeking to ensure that rival parties will NGOs and curb their funding.’ never have access to the funds or influence necessary to unseat the incumbent government. ¢ Both have seized political opportunities offered by the presence of ethnic compatriots in sur- . . . rounding countries. Putin has exploited sup- Is Orban a Central European version of Putin? eraeee . . . a a . posed discrimination against ethnic Russians Orban's domestic critics have often compared his . er . . ‘ng style to that of Russi dent Viadimni and certain other minorities in Ukraine, Georgia, Boverning styre Fo mar or sussian presi entwla mir Moldova, and the Baltic states as justification Putin. On the surface, the comparison seems unfair. a . . . ae : for military intervention or hostile propaganda. Hungary is still rated Free by Freedom House. It still Z 5 ae : _ ; : Orban has brought nearby Hungarian minorities has genuine opposition parties, however weak, in . . ws ws a : ; _ . into his political coalition by giving them the parliament, a relatively unfettered civil society sector, F , : : ; an : right to vote in Hungarian national elections and freedom of assembly, and other civil liberties. Hungary . . - . making it even easier for them to cast ballots has also been spared the routine violence that marks we . a . ~ than it is for Hungarian citizens who are tempo- Russian politics.!! ‘ ev 4 rarily working in Europe or elsewhere. But Orban alse began his current benune i an enxitan= « Ass mavere® hieh arletieg both Gibda and u- ment very different from the Russia inherited by Putin. . oe ree : tin have secured domination over the judiciary Hungary had been a successful, if flawed, democracy F —— : Sn with the goal of removing its role as a check on for two dec