Far-right Hungarian government hits out at George Clooney over criticism of Viktor Orban

A spokesman for the government called Mr Clooney’s remarks “foolish,” adding that “nobody should treat him like a global political oracle”

Actor George Clooney (Getty Images)

The government of Hungary has criticised actor George Clooney for calling their prime minister, Viktor Orban, an example of anger and hate in the world and suggesting he could fuel a dystopian future.

In an interview with GQ magazine about his film, The Midnight Sky, Mr Clooney said: “We weren’t in the middle of a pandemic when it happened, but there were still all these other elements, these elements of how much hate and anger all of us are experiencing in this moment of history, all over the world - go to Bolsonaro in Brazil, or Orban in Hungary.”

Hungarian foreign affairs spokesman, Tamas Menczer said George Clooney is a good actor who deserves respect. He added that Mr Clooney’s remarks were “foolish,” and that “nobody should treat him like a global political oracle.”

Mr Orban has been in power for over 10 years and has created a nationalistic government with a non-liberal regime, centralised state and a loyal business elite.

Other countries of the European Union have criticised the Hungarian government’s increasing loss of civil liberties. This is especially since Hungary, along with Poland, refused to accept new EU rules to enforce democratic standards.

A spokesman for the government, Ors Farkas, told Hungarian state television that he felt Mr Clooney was voicing the pro-immigration message of Hungarian-born US liberal billionaire George Soros, who has been an opponent of Mr Orban’s government for many years.