The Repression of Independent Media in Hungary, 2010-2025
Between 2010 and 2025, Hungary’s rank in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index fell from 23rd to 68th out of 180 countries measured, leaving it among the lowest-ranked member states in the EU.
The Lab’s report, issued in collaboration with Hungarian watchdog Mertek Media Monitor, documents the government’s systematic efforts to repress independent media in the country. The report meticulously documents a sophisticated campaign to curb independent media through legal, economic, and administrative measures rather than overt censorship.
The report shows how media capture and targeted pressure work together to narrow the space for independent journalism in Hungary, and proposes recommendations to successive governments and the European Union for countering this repression.
Release date: February 10, 2026