“I am new to Parliament, but because it is also the subject of my doctoral thesis, the present and the future of parliament is a preoccupation of mine beyond normal duties,” Orbán writes.
The nature of parliamentary debates – both here and in other states with a parliamentary system – is significantly different today than it was only a few decades ago. The fundamental reason is that nowadays – due to mass and social media – parliament is not the only forum for public debates.
This, however, does not mean that parliamentarism itself is in crisis. Quite the opposite.
Parliament remains the ultimate repository of the sovereignty of the people and one of the main pillars of ensuring the legitimacy of legislation and legal order. Therefore, for us Hungarians, the regular operations and dignity of parliament are a matter of national strategy.
Dissent is both possible and necessary, as are debates, but these should by no means be done in a manner as the opposition did today. The reason is that for us, Hungarians, this institution is not just the stage for expressing opposing political views, but is also the bulwark of national unity and sovereignty.
This is why today’s behavior of the opposition should be deeply frightening to every constituent, be they pro-government or opposition.
