Hungary’s democratic moment – A critical theoretical modelling of deliberative transition

The elections of 2026 in Hungary indicated a historical turning point, the collapse of the authoritarian Orbán-regime. The country is at a pivotal moment in terms of democratization; however, it remains an open question how can such a unique historical opportunity be realistically grasped, and how can democratization be imagined in a country lacking democratic traditions? Integrating critical social theory and a practice-based approach, my article reflects on this unique moment by reconstructing a deliberative constitutional process specifically designed for the post-Orbán era. First, the social history of democratic culture in Hungary is sketched: it is argued that throughout the 20th century, the emergence of a democratic culture was systematically undermined. This diagnosis orients the social theoretical section: with the help of Habermas, the normative core of deliberative democracy is reconstructed; with the help of Luhmann’s systems and Latour’s actor-network theory, those technological “crutches” are introduced, which can help overcome the limitations of missing democratic-communicative skills by relying on digital communication tools. In the final section, a concrete model of a deliberative constitutional process is elaborated. Although the article focuses on Hungary, it aims to inspire others seeking to further democratization through deliberative means in the absence of democratic traditions.