The Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is now proposing a constitutional amendment that could limit foreign funding of the country’s media organizations. The aim is said to be to reduce foreign influence and strengthen the country’s sovereignty.
Among other things, the proposal would make it possible to temporarily deprive people of dual citizenship if they fund organizations or independent media outlets that receive money from Hungarians living abroad, Omni reports.
The constitutional amendment is seen by Viktor Orbán’s critics as a way to cut off funding for independent media, reports Placera, citing Bloomberg News. Orbán, for his part, has previously expressed concern about what he considers to be “foreign interference” in Hungary that negatively affects the country’s media independence and self-determination.
The Hungarian government, meanwhile, has also proposed a law change establishing that there are only two genders in Hungary, similar to legislation pushed through by the Trump administration in the US.
ORBAN CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGN FUNDING OF HUNGARIAN MEDIA
PM Viktor Orban who said Hungary will uncover foreign funding channelled to Hungarian media to influence the citizens, following the U.S example, added that USAID spent millions to influence Hungarian media and organisations pic.twitter.com/EU1LcK6wvJ— LWUK NEWS (@LWUKNews) February 25, 2025
The new legislation, if passed by Parliament, is scheduled to enter into force on April 15 this year. The proposed framework is part of a global trend where countries from both sides of the new “Iron Curtain” have introduced legislation regulating foreign funding of media and civil society.