Comparing Orbánism and Gaullism: the Gaullist physiognomy of Orbán's post-2010 Hungary

Abstract

The right wing Hungarian governing party (Fidesz - Alliance of Young Democrats), often refers to France and French Gaullism as a political inspiration. This paper asserts that, despite some limitations, Gaullism is a viable analogy for better understanding the nature of Orbánism. The article identifies the major characteristics of Gaullism and Orbánism in order to systematically compare them by addressing the topics of: national grandeur and the importance of foreign policy; anti-liberalism, populism and etatism; antiparliamentarism; charismatic leadership and direct democracy; legality and legitimacy; the creation of a new constitution and the movement's approach to history. The concluding remarks discuss the limits of the analogy and make suggestions for further analyses.