Kindofa big chunk to drop just like that, with no context... this is an in-depth exploration by Hungarian journalists of how German automotive industry interests wooed by reactionary strongman Orb¨¢n, to the tune of millions of € taxbreaks, have come to tip the scales of German political EU influence in their favour, despite his government¡¯s explicit antisemitism and xenophobia.
posted by progosk at 8:48 AM on September 19, 2020 [6 favorites]

And, if their numbers are to be believed, the MAJORITY of the Hungarian economy is basically German automotive outsourcing. That is a disturbing concentration in one sector, turning the whole country into basically a company town.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 8:55 AM on September 19, 2020 [1 favorite]

More directly linked to Orban's "Slave Law" ..in which "Orb¨¢n¡¯s government adopted a new law that allows corporations to demand four hundred hours of overtime per year (up from 250), while delaying payments to workers for up to three years. The law, popularly dubbed as the ¡°slave law,¡± was adopted without prior consultation with the trade unions" The law brought widespread demonstrations and strikes, but nonetheless President Ader signed the bill into law.

Foreign criticism of Orban's style of governing doesn't go down well within Hungary, where press freedom has increasingly become limited to fewer and fewer (mostly online) outlets. ¡°When they see German criticism, the Hungarian government thinks: what do they want? If we gave a few billions for the Mercedes factory, why are they complaining about ¡®dictatorship¡¯? What do they want to achieve? After all, they are rational people, they must definitely have a purpose!¡±

Local media in Hungary report that Orban pushed through the law in a bid to lure German auto-maker BMW to invest a billion euros in a new plant in Debrecen, Hungary's second city.
posted by zaelic at 6:04 AM on September 20, 2020 [1 favorite]