OPPOSITION ACTIVITIES OF THE GREEN PARTIES OF POLAND AND HUNGARY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Abstract

This article is about the opposition activities of the Polish (Partia Zieloni) and Hungarian (Lehet Más a Politika) Green parties as opposition to the government of these two countries in the period from March 2020 to April 2021 in the specific conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a comparative analysis is due to a number of similarities of the political system and political regime in Poland and Hungary, which are described in the article. The research was carried out using the methods of content analysis, comparative analysis and historical analysis. In particular, based on the content analysis of the publications and program documents of the two parties, we established that they were in strict opposition to the pro-government parties and the government and were part of opposition associations in both countries. In the thematic dimension, it was established that the Hungarian Greens paid more attention to social aspects and overcoming poverty, and the Polish Greens paid more attention to the problems of equality and overcoming discrimination and prejudice. However, such differences were significantly determined by objective circumstances, not ideological differences. Thus, the social focus of the Hungarian Greens is due to the significant negative social consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which became a reason for criticism of the government by the Greens. And although in Poland social problems as a result of the pandemic were also present, the emphasis of the Polish Partia Zieloni on the issues of equality and non-discrimination is largely due to the confrontation with the conservative ruling party, which tried to limit the right to abortion, LGBT+ rights, etc. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was established that both parties paid significant attention to the negative economic and social consequences and tried to adapt their activities, in particular public declarations, to solving the problems caused by the pandemic. The topic of the coronavirus has become one of the key issues for them, along with issues of the environment and climate change, which are the ideological basis for Green parties in general. Such ideological aspects as ecocentrism, significant social role of the state, protection of individual rights and freedoms are significantly reflected in the content of their statements and proposals regarding countering and overcoming the consequences of the pandemic.