László Krasznahorkai Wins Nobel Prize Amid Hostile Climate for Hungarian Writers
László Krasznahorkai won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first laureate from the town of Gyula. To mark the occasion, Gyula staged a week-long programme of readings and events, though Krasznahorkai did not attend in person, accepting the medal in Stockholm instead.
Despite the nationwide celebration of the award across party lines, Hungarian writers and artists face a repressive and hostile climate under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz party amid a tough re-election campaign. The state has tightened control over universities, galleries, and media, redirecting funds from independent outlets to pro-government journalists and writers through the National Cultural Fund.
Independent literary outlets persist but struggle financially due to the state's influence on advertising, resulting in lower revenues and insufficient pay for contributors. In 2023, the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) acquired a 98.5% stake in Libri, Hungary's leading publisher and bookshop chain. Following this, Libri's stores wrapped books depicting same-sex relationships under the anti-LGBTQ law that prohibits promoting homosexuality and gender reassignment.
Meanwhile, Líra, Hungary's second-largest bookshop chain and publishing group, was fined for defying the same law and is contesting these penalties both nationally and internationally. Authors such as Gergely Péterfy have emigrated, with Péterfy moving to southern Italy citing the government's anti-culture stance and seeking a different environment.
Young writers express concern about the polarized funding landscape. Csenge Enikő Élő, 32, stated that no young Hungarian writer currently makes a living from their work, highlighting the imbalance where one side receives much more support than the other.
Though Krasznahorkai's international profile has been limited until now, his Nobel recognition is seen by editor János Szegő as a significant affirmation for literature in a small language community.
