With just over four months remaining until the European Parliament elections in June, no European political group has managed to present a real top candidate for the presidency of the European Commission, except for the European People’s Party. This raises the likelihood of 2024 marking the end of the Spitzenkandidat system.

‘We are nobody’s orderly,’ Hungarian House Speaker László Kövér stated in an interview with Index, addressing the question of the Hungarian ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession.

All indications suggest that Viktor Orbán and Volodymyr Zelenskyy may soon be sitting down at the negotiating table. The parties have a multitude of contentious issues to discuss, beginning with the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia.

The Turkish parliament approved Sweden’s application for NATO membership on Tuesday, leaving only the Hungarian ratification to stand in the way of the Nordic country’s full membership.

The scandal surrounding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is intensifying, with growing calls to ban the right-wing party. The left-wing media’s demonizing smear campaign has played a significant role in the events.

Despite the attack on public media and the political imprisonment of former government members, the Polish government led by Donald Tusk could soon gain access to some of the EU funds that were frozen due to concerns about the rule of law.

On Thursday, the first commercial space mission composed exclusively of European astronauts was launched. In partnership with the Texas-based startup Axiom Space, Hungary will soon have the opportunity to send a man into space again.

As the enlargement process advances, the imperative to reform the European Union becomes increasingly pressing. Opinions are divided on how this should be achieved; the European Commission may soon unveil its own plans.

Ursula von der Leyen’s recent remarks have confirmed it that the freezing of EU funds to Hungary was never primarily motivated by concerns about the rule of law. The withholding of the funds has rather been used as a tool to impose a leftist agenda on Hungary, including gender ideology and migration.

Debates about Hungary consistently bring to the forefront the Hungarophobic positions and opinions of the Left in the European Parliament. In the current session, left-wing MEPs targeted not only Viktor Orbán but also Ursula von der Leyen.

Led by Hungarian MEPs Katalin Cseh and Anna Donáth, the left-wing majority in the European Parliament persisted in depriving Hungarian students and researchers of the benefits of Erasmus+. In a statement issued after the EP vote, Fidesz MEPs described the actions of the far-left Momentum MEPs as disgraceful.

With Donald Trump having secured his first victory in the Republican primaries, the European left is drumming up fear of the former US President’s possible return to the White House. In contrast, for Hungary, there can only be one positive outcome of the 2024 US presidential election: a Donald Trump victory.

The European Parliament is threatening to revoke Hungary’s voting rights, with 120 MEPs petitioning for the launching of the next level Article 7 proceedings against Hungary ahead of a key EU summit in February.

After Poland’s left-wing government launched an overt campaign against the country’s public media, Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is attempting to ban opposition journalists from parliament. The left’s attacks on critical right-wing voices are intensifying, and the Hungarian opposition would certainly not shy away from emulating the Spanish and Polish examples.

Once again, European leaders are demonstrating their total inability to adapt to the changed circumstances around Ukraine and make responsible decisions. Instead of a strategic reassessment, they persist with the same misguided policies, pouring arms and money into an unwinnable war.

Europe’s left-wing-led countries are being plunged into chaos due to irresponsible political decisions. A situation is beginning to unfold in the West that would be unimaginable in Hungary.

According to press reports, Giorgia Meloni is in an endeavour to persuade Viktor Orbán to withdraw his veto on the €50 billion EU aid to Ukraine, offering a unique deal in return. Kyiv could soon face severe challenges or even collapse without substantial foreign financial assistance.

In recent weeks, the Western alliance behind Ukraine seems to have split: one side is beginning to acknowledge the realities and is pushing for peace talks, while the other side wants to keep pouring money and arms into Ukraine.

In her welcoming speech at the reception of the Ambassadors accredited to Hungary, President Novák addressed the global challenges facing our world, the future of Europe, and Hungary’s role on the international stage.

This year marks a pivotal moment for the right-wing parties of Europe, as the anticipated shift in political dynamics is poised to unfold across the continent. In this article, we delve into the prospects and potential for the European right in the year 2024.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has called for the creation of a common European army. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the question of how Europe can defend itself against the threats it faces has become increasingly pressing.

Charles Michel has announced his candidacy for the European Parliament in this year’s elections, leaving his seat at the head of the European Council vacant. This raises the prospect of Viktor Orbán taking up the post, causing panic among the European left.

Despite constant criticism from the left, Hungary is one of the few EU countries that have managed to fully draw down the EU funds for the 2014–2020 period. The €32.08 billion has been allocated to several tangible projects in recent years.

The international coalition led by Washington appears to be incapable of halting the attacks on transport vessels by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia. The inability to use the crucial Strait of Bab el-Mandeb is having a detrimental impact on world trade, directly and indirectly affecting Europe.

The Biden administration has shifted its strategy in Ukraine; a Ukrainian victory is no longer a priority, and instead, Kyiv will be brought to the negotiating table. If, two years ago, the leaders in Washington and Brussels had heeded their common sense—or better yet, listened to the Hungarians—millions of lives could have been spared.

It didn’t take long before the familiar anti-Hungarian voices of Brussels echoed once again in the New Year. Now, yet again, the goal is to obstruct Hungary’s rotating EU Council presidency.

The European Union is not lacking in politicians with negative views towards Hungary. In this article, we have compiled a list of the most notorious MEPs known for their Hungarophobic stances.

Bulgaria and Romania have taken an important step towards full Schengen membership: from March 2024, air and maritime transport will be subject to the rules of the free movement area. However, Austria has still not lifted its veto against full membership for Bucharest. For Hungary—and for the EU as a whole—enlargement of the area would be crucial for a number of reasons, and it is possible that Vienna will be persuaded by Budapest, which will soon hold the EU presidency.

Rarely has a single year carried such profound implications for global security and the future as the one that lies ahead. With conflicts erupting across the globe, the foundations of the international order are being relentlessly tested. Compounding
these challenges, 2024 is marked by the impending presidential elections in two formidable and opposing powers, the United States and Russia. Similar gravity can be attributed to the European Parliament elections scheduled for the same year, where a realistic opportunity exists for the reinforcement of right-leaning forces.

The establishment of a common European defence ministry would not immediately resolve all problems. As no concrete details are currently available about the idea, significant conclusions cannot be drawn. What is certain, however, is that joint procurement, coordinated development and production could significantly enhance the competitiveness and capacity of the European defence industry, and a robust defence industry stands as the most crucial pillar of the continent’s security.