And it’s not a publicity stunt!
Over the years, we have seen plenty of porn stars running for office. But they all did it for the free press that they’d get. It’s not a new thing. Kanye West and many other pop stars applied similar strategies in their struggle to stay relevant.
However, things are different for mister Gyorgy Gattyan. She doesn’t need the free press, and he doesn’t make a living by how popular he is on social media. He is, in fact, the third-richest man in Hungary. And he made his money by building a porn empire. He is the founder of the famed live sex platform LiveJasmin.
But the porn mogul is not spending his money on hookers on cocaine. He is, in fact, very engaged in social issues. When his “alma mater” university was struggling, he just bought the shares. Now he’s the administrator of Kodolanyi Janos University from Szekesfehervar.
So, why does he do it? Victor Orban has ruled Hungary for over ten years. Orban was deemed an anti-European, with close ties with Putin and an anti-progressist agenda. He has been passing homophobic laws and supported legislation to censor the internet. And he has secured his position as Hungary’s prime minister through populist campaigns that earned him the votes of the conservative right, alienating Hungarian youth.
Gattyan: The Progressive
Gattyan, a strong supporter of internet freedom with progressive views, is now challenging Orban’s position. He will run on a pro-digitalization platform meant to improve and update the fields of education, healthcare, and government.
The 51-years old porn tycoon is now based in Luxembourg. Still, he is working to put together a team of young professionals who can help him challenge Orban in the next year’s parliamentary elections. So far, his movement is a civic initiative, but he has declared that founding a party is not out of the question. According to Gattyan, his movement shows that he might even win the election.
If that happens, we might whiteness a massive shift in Hungary’s European presence. Will such a win mean something for the porn industry in a country like Hungary, which has the highest percentage of porn stars per 1 million people? Probably not. It seems like Mr. Gattyan runs for office for purely civic reasons that have nothing to do with his activity in the adult industry.
The Hungarian press and his potential counter-candidates have already reacted to his initiative, calling him all kinds of names, including “porn emperor” and “Hungary’s most influential pimp.” But his initiative would set a precedent in both European and American political scenes. It will come a time when public office won’t be reserved only for those with a public image based on moral superiority, discriminating against anyone with a past. It will come a time when running for office will be based on meritocracy. We root for Mr. Gattyan and hope that his win will change the bad-rep of the adult industry.
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