The wizard of Budapest

“THE moment Hungary is no longer European,” wrote Milan Kundera, a Czech-born novelist, “it loses the essence of its identity.” In his own way Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, would not disagree. Having bent the Hungarian state to his will, crushed his domestic foes and spun political gold from Europe’s migrant crisis, Mr Orban now has his sights trained on the immigration-friendly elites he claims seek to destroy Europe’s nations from within. Together with Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the de facto leader of Poland, he promises a “cultural counter-revolution” in Europe, based on a defence of nation, family and Christianity.

Charismatic, bombastic and unembarrassable, Mr Orban squats toad-like astride the Hungarian political landscape. His Fidesz party dominates parliament. Setbacks are skated over. On October 2nd only 40% of Hungary’s electorate cast valid votes in a referendum on the European Union’s refugee-relocation plan, well below the 50% threshold needed to give the result force. No matter: Mr Orban saluted the “excellent result” (98% of voters rejected the EU scheme) and promised to insert it into Hungary’s constitution. The formidable Fidesz spin machine manufactured sophistries to explain how an illegitimate outcome represented the inviolable democratic will of the Hungarian people.