Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared the left-wing movement Antifa a terrorist organization, following the example of former US President Donald Trump. The move is part of a series of new crackdowns on what the government describes as “left-wing extremism,” and comes as part of Orban’s broader strategy to maintain “national order and security.”
The Hungarian government published an updated list of organizations and individuals it now classifies as terrorists yesterday. The list includes two entities: an unspecified organization that operates under the name "Antifa," as well as a German extremist group known as the Hammerbande, which has been accused by German authorities of attacks on right-wing activists in Budapest in February 2023.
Under the new laws, all individuals and groups included in this list will face punitive measures, including:
Blocking of assets and financial resources
Prohibition or restrictions on economic transactions
Deportations or bans on entry into Hungarian territory
Orban's statement came a week after an interview on state radio and television, where he stressed: "It is time for Hungary to classify organizations like Antifa as terrorists, following the example of the US." He directly referred to Donald Trump, whom he considers an important ideological and political ally.
Meanwhile, Trump signed an executive order on Monday to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization, just a day after a memorial service for slain ultraconservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona.
However, Trump's decision has sparked controversy within the US. Legal experts have stressed that the US president does not have the jurisdiction to declare a domestic organization as terrorist, as US law only allows such designations for foreign organizations.
Orban's move is expected to trigger strong reactions inside and outside Hungary, especially from human rights organizations and opposition groups, which see the move as an attempt to silence critics and further consolidate the Hungarian prime minister's power.
