TL;DR
- Orbán’s government forced Central European University to relocate 90% of its operations.
- JD Vance praises Orbán’s approach to education.
- The university’s exodus symbolizes Hungary’s shift towards authoritarianism.
- Record numbers of Hungarians are emigrating due to political climate.
- Human rights groups continue to operate despite challenges.
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Picture this: a grand university campus, its limestone entrance towering over a stunning 1820s mansion, yet eerily quiet. This is the Central European University, founded by the infamous George Soros after the fall of communism, now a ghost of its former self, thanks to Viktor Orbán’s authoritarian regime. The university claims that a staggering 90% of its teaching operations were forced out of Hungary in 2019. Talk about a major academic exodus!
“This should be full of students but as you can see it is almost empty,” lamented Márta Pardavi, a prominent human rights advocate, as she guided NBC News through the now-silent halls. The university’s relocation to Vienna, just 130 miles away, was described by its then-rector, Michael Ignatieff, as a “dark day for freedom in Hungary.” But not everyone sees it that way.
Enter JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, who recently visited Hungary to support Orbán’s faltering polls ahead of a crucial election. Vance has been vocal about his admiration for Orbán’s hardline tactics against what he calls “liberal indoctrination” in American universities. “The closest conservatives have ever gotten to successfully dealing with the left-wing domination of universities is Viktor Orbán’s approach in Hungary,” he proclaimed. Is this the future he envisions for U.S. education? Yikes!
Vance’s comments came at an Orbán rally where he insisted that “children should be able to go to school and get educated and not indoctrinated.” Sounds a bit too familiar, doesn’t it? Orbán himself has long targeted the Central European University, accusing it of “cheating” with its dual qualifications and foreign funding. His rhetoric has taken a dark turn, often leaning into antisemitic tropes against Soros, whom he labels a “globalist.”
In 2018, Soros’ Open Society Foundations also fled Budapest for Berlin, citing the oppressive political climate under Orbán. Today, Hungary is considered a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy,” squeezing the independence of courts, media, and educational institutions. For many in the U.S., Orbán represents a model of how to tackle dissent, and that’s a chilling thought.
As the election looms, the stakes are high. If Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, wins, he promises to restore independence to education and other institutions. But observers are skeptical, noting that his proposals lack specifics. “There is a lot missing,” Pardavi cautioned.
Despite the challenges, the Central European University building remains a hub for academic research and public lectures, housing organizations like the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, which provides legal assistance to marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ community. “What does a Hungarian organization do? You stay here. You do your job,” Pardavi asserted. And she’s not going anywhere.
Statistics reveal a troubling trend: in 2022, a record 18,000 Hungarian students opted to study abroad. In 2024, over 41,000 Hungarians emigrated, totaling more than 360,000 since Orbán took power. While low birth rates and a stagnant economy play a role, the oppressive political climate is driving the brightest minds away.
As the Hungarian scientific community faces irreversible damage, one can’t help but wonder: is this what the U.S. has to look forward to if we don’t safeguard our democratic values? The lessons from Hungary are clear, and they’re not pretty. Will we heed the warning?