Anne Applebaum: Hungary's Surreal, Post-Reality Campaign

In this episode of The Bulwark Podcast, host Charissa interviews renowned historian and author Anne Applebaum about Hungary's upcoming election and the alarming rise of post-reality politics under Viktor Orbán. Applebaum details how Orbán, once a liberal anti-communist, has transformed into a far-right autocrat who has systematically dismantled Hungary's democratic institutions, centralized power, and built a corrupt, nepotistic regime. With the election approaching on April 12th, Orbán faces his first serious challenger in Peter Magyar, a former Fidesz member who has broken with the party over corruption and mismanagement. Magyar's grassroots campaign focuses on real issues like healthcare, housing, and economic stagnation—contrasting sharply with Orbán's disinformation campaign that falsely portrays Ukraine as a threat to Hungary. This includes fabricated AI videos, staged incidents like the seizure of a Ukrainian truck, and false flag operations. Applebaum warns that Orbán's tactics—disinformation, voter manipulation, and media control—are being emulated by MAGA-aligned figures in the U.S., particularly J.D. Vance, who praised Orbán in a speech that equated defending Western civilization with supporting an autocrat aligned with Russia and Iran. The episode also critiques the Trump administration’s foreign policy, including its threats to NATO, its failure to consult allies, and its reckless war in Iran, which has destabilized the region without clear strategic goals. Applebaum emphasizes the danger of leaders who operate in a fantasy world, unable to grasp reality or consequences, and calls for a renewed faith in truth and democratic institutions. She concludes with a call to action: to resist authoritarianism not through despair, but through persistent, real-world organizing and truth-telling.