The Hungarian Response to Terrorism: a “blank check” for the Government
The Hungarian Response to Terrorism: a “blank check” for the Government

Summary/Abstract: Terrorist attacks in recent years pointed out the ever-present debate of how it is possible for a constitutional democracy to response to terrorism. The attacks by the Islamic State (or earlier by the Al Khaida) made terrorism (terrorist attacks and terrorist threat as well) a reference point in the question of balancing between rule of law and security. This study discusses the issue of terrorism in a country which has not faced any terrorist attack in recent years. Therefore, the question is what was the legislative aim of amending the Fundamental Law of Hungary with a new emergency category “emergency response to terrorism”. I will briefly demonstrate that it was a useless modification, which neither serves the principle of the rule of law nor means a better protection against terrorism.

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