Articles for author: Christian Boulanger

Causes and Consequences of the “Failure” of the GDR Central Round Table (Dec. 1989- Feb. 1990)

On one hand, I wish to give credit to the Central Round Table which is often seen as not having fulfilled its aspirations. Given the particular structural context in which the round table was operating, it was remarkably successful and achieved more than could have been anticipated given its weak legitimacy and power base, in particular, providing a sense of stability and moral guidance in tumultuous times. On the other hand, my thesis is that it was unable to exert a major influence on what was to follow, neither in the short-term or long-term.

11. Dezember 2019

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“Is it a dictatorship and a police state yet?” Scheppele and Halmai on current Hungarian constitutional politics

Ever since the sweeping election victory of Victor Orbán’s FIDESZ party in 2010, there has been an international controversy about the developments in Hungary’s political landscape. In most cases, the reception given to the political initiatives of the Orbán government and its parliamentary super-majority (the current coalition controls over two thirds of the legislature) have been extremely negative. Most attention focused on a new media law and on the new constitution (see here, here, and here; for a more positive commentary, see here). The ruling majority had drafted and passed this constitution in a controversial process that was, for many ... continue reading

11. Juli 2012