We visited the Édes Szelet pastry shop in Békásmegyer with Ádám Gyepes.
Gabi and her team bake amazing cakes and pastries, and they also set an example for everyone through their perseverance and hard work.
The pastry shop is very popular, but the left-wing municipal government does not make things easier for them, as it keeps continuously raising the rental fees.
They also clearly feel that the energy crisis and the war pose serious challenges for energy-intensive businesses such as a pastry shop.
That is why they are worried about a new conflict in Iran, and they do not want their pastry shop to go bankrupt without cheap Russian natural gas.
I assured Gabi and her team that as long as Viktor Orbán governs, we will support small businesses and will not give in to Brussels’ or Ukraine’s pressure regarding cheap Russian energy.
Thank you for the conversation — and for the pastries as well!
I just noticed this place right here and started thinking, Kaci, that I believe I’ve been here before. It feels familiar. I think I really have been here already.
Well then, now you’re doing what you had always wanted to do after all.
Yes, absolutely. I really love it. I truly do.
I’d say that right now this expresses something very positive for me.
But the municipality shouldn’t make our work harder either. For example, when they keep raising the terrace rental fee, I think that in a time of economic crisis this should be moderated a bit.
And what is it like to run a business here at home? How difficult or easy is it? Where do you get help, and where less?
I don’t know how easy or difficult it is, because I run my business in Hungary — it’s not like I run businesses all over the world and can compare them.
But I think that the environment is gradually becoming more favorable.
Do you see it that way?
That’s how I see it.
1️⃣ “Ordinary people” credibility role (ordinary people framing)
Excerpt
“Gabi’s pastry shop makes heavenly cakes and sets an example for everyone through perseverance and hard work.”
Technique
Presenting a small business owner as a representative of “hard-working Hungarian people.”
Goal
- to authenticate the political message
- to make it easy for voters to identify with the person
Effect
The audience feels that:
➡️ “this is not politics, this is the reality of everyday people.”
2️⃣ Local scapegoating (local scapegoating)
Excerpt
“The left-wing municipality does not make things easier for them, continuously raising the rental fees.”
Technique
The difficulties of the business are attributed to a specific political opponent.
Goal
- to blame the local opposition
- to create a simple conflict:
entrepreneurs vs. left-wing municipality
Effect
The voter develops the perception that:
➡️ “entrepreneurs are suffering because of the left.”
3️⃣ Global crisis narrative (crisis framing)
Excerpt
“The energy crisis and the war pose serious challenges for energy-intensive businesses.”
Technique
Connecting a local problem to a global crisis.
Goal
- to justify the government’s policies
- to increase the perceived seriousness of the situation
Effect
➡️ the voter feels that we are living in dangerous times.
4️⃣ Geopolitical enemy framing (external enemy framing)
Excerpt
“Brussels and Ukrainian blackmail regarding cheap Russian energy.”
Technique
Presenting external actors as threats to the Hungarian economy.
Goal
- strengthening the national sovereignty narrative
- elevating the conflict to an international level
Effect
The audience develops the perception that:
➡️ “foreign forces are putting pressure on Hungary.”
5️⃣ Protector leader narrative (protector leader)
Excerpt
“As long as Viktor Orbán governs, we will support small businesses.”
Technique
Portraying the leader as the protector of entrepreneurs.
Goal
- building personal trust in the leader
- framing the election as a matter of security
Effect
➡️ “the government protects small businesses.”
🧠 Structure of the communication (classic campaign pattern)
- introducing a sympathetic small business owner
- identifying a problem (left-wing municipality)
- highlighting global threats (war, energy crisis)
- defining external enemies (Brussels, Ukraine)
- presenting the solution: a national government
This is a very typical political campaign storytelling method:
a pastry shop’s story becomes a national political message.