Hungary bans homelessness - Insane and cruel

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán first served as his country’s prime minister 20 years ago, so it must be assumed, though it cannot be guaranteed, that he has an appreciation of what if possible and what is not.

It must also be assumed that he knows he cannot legislate against gravity but one of his populist and proudly “illiberal” government’s latest edicts suggests its legislative programme has moved beyond the reach of reality. Hungary, a member of the EU, has effectively made homelessness illegal.

The country’s police can, after issuing three cautions to people living rough, take them into custody and hold them for up to 72 hours. A third arrest for the “crime” of homelessness can mean a jail term of up to 60 days.

Like most countries, Hungary has far more homeless people than available shelters, a situation exacerbated by the fact that social housing for the poor is vanishing across the country.

This callous inhumanity, this darkening, confirms that the storm clouds are again gathering across Europe.