Hungary: threats against the country’s last progressive daily newspaper
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Hungarian affiliates, HPU and MUOSZ, in condemning the manoeuvres that led to the closure of the print edition of Népszava, the largest national political daily in Hungary and the last and only remaining liberal, social democratic political daily in the country.
Mediaworks, the media holding company with close ties to the Fidesz party, and the logistics company Medialog-DMHM, which belongs to the same group, suddenly announced on Thursday the immediate termination of their printing and distribution contract with the publisher of Népszava, a contract that had been in place for over ten years. The reason for the immediate termination of the contract is reportedly that the publisher of Népszava had accumulated debts amounting to several hundred million forints over the course of a year.
According to HPU, “primary responsibility for the current situation lies with the previous government, which — instead of preventing it in accordance with its legal obligations — actively contributed to the monopolization of the distribution and daily newspaper printing market and its transfer into hands close to Fidesz party”.
The EFJ and its affiliates in Hungary call on all parties concerned — the public authorities, including the European Union, as well as the owner of Népszava and the executives of Mediaworks — to do everything in their power, in consultation with employee representatives, to restore the print edition of the daily newspaper as soon as possible and thereby safeguard media pluralism and citizens’ right to be informed.
“In accordance with the provisions of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which came into force on 8 August 2025, the EFJ calls on the European Board for Media Services, the EU media regulator, to address this matter as a matter of urgency, as it poses a serious threat to media pluralism in Hungary,” said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez. “We urge the industry actors but also the Hungarian government and the European Union to help the outlet find solutions so it can continue both in print and online”.
Népszava was established in 1873 in Budapest. It was the official newspaper of the Hungarian Social Democratic Party until 1948. Privatized in 1990, the newspaper is currently owned by Hungarian entrepreneur Tamás Leisztinger.
