Népszabadság

The centre-left daily Népszabadság was closed down unexpectedly at the beginning of October 2016. According to the owner Mediaworks Hungary Zrt., a subsidiary of the Austrian firm Vienna Capital Partners (VCP) founded by Heinrich Pecina, the paper's losses were too high. Népszabadság staff, however, talked of a coup. The newspaper's coverage was frequently critical of the Orbán government and it was Hungary's biggest oppositional daily. Founded in 1956, it was the successor to the Szabad Népthis newspaper. During the socialist era it was seen as the mouthpiece of the sole ruling party, the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSZMP). After the collapse of communism in 1989 it maintained close ties to its successor, the Hungarian Workers Party (MSZP), and for many years the MSZP also had a stake in the paper.