This book investigates the concept of the System of National Cooperation (Hungarian abbrev.: NER), which was introduced as a form of “New Social Contract” (Csanádi), and its strategies of framing in pro-governmental media and public discourse during the period from 2010 until 2018. This qualitative discourse and framing analysis is based on case studies of how the Hungarian Citizens Union Fidesz-MPSZ (mis)uses government-friendly media to popularize its policies and actions, especially those related to the NER. So far, the NER and its discursive manifestation in pro-governmental media have remained neglected in East European Studies. This unique study elaborates on the complexity of the Hungarian System of National Cooperation and presents an interdisciplinary approach to a framing analysis of pro-governmental Hungarian media.



This book examines Hungary’s System of National Cooperation (NER) and how pro-government media framed it between 2010 and 2018, using case studies to show how Fidesz promoted its policies through supportive public discourse.



Zsófia Mária Schmidt studied Journalism, East European Studies and Culture and Organization in Berlin, Budapest and Baku, as well as St. Gallen. Since 2017, she worked as Editor and Research Assistant for the Online Journal Euxeinos at the Department of East European Studies at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Previously, Zsófia worked at the Open Society Archives (OSA) in Budapest, held internships at the Danube Strategy Point and Balassi Culture Institute in Brussels and worked as translator for n-ost, a network for border crossing journalism, based in Berlin. Moreover, she worked at the Berlin Center for Literary and Cultural Studies throughout her studies. Zsófia is a member of the DGO and its Youth Organization. (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde).