The Representation of the EU and EU-Hungarian Relations in Népszabadság and Magyar Nemzet : a Critical Discourse Analysis

Sammanfattning: This study examines the representation of the European Union (EU) and EU-Hungarian relations in the two largest daily newspapers in Hungary, Népszabadság and Magyar Nemzet. Focusing on the topic of the Hungarian national elections and the tenth anniversary of Hungary in the EU, a critical discourse analysis (CDA) was carried out on articles appearing between 1 March and 5 May 2014 to identify discourses on the EU and EU-Hungarian relations. My analysis found that both newspapers are consistent with their representational strategies, but contrasting in their respective discourses. Népszabadság presents a pro-European discourse with a representation of the EU as a social and political community, thereby projecting a positive attitude towards further European integration. Magyar Nemzet, meanwhile, represents the EU as a powerless actor, as a mere assistant in coordinating nation states. Instead, the nation state remains the only legitimate political actor while the EU is described as an external influence. The Hungarian state, the Hungarian government and Hungarian citizens are used synonymously and represented as one group. These strategies achieve a strengthening of Hungarian national identity and allegiance and disable a possible allegiance or identification with the EU.