The overarching topic of the day was the changing media landscape in the digital age. However, speakers also tackled the issue of the left-wing bias in mainstream media today.
At the opening event of MCC Brussels, Balázs Orbán said: ’As neighbours, we need to talk and listen. This is the only antidote to the spectre of political polarization that haunts politics today.’
The junior classes at Mathias Corvinus Collegium received a record number of applicants this year, the highest figure for the faculty in 26 years.
David Coulthard, former Formula One driver, now commentator, journalist and president of the British Racing Drivers Club, spoke at MCC Feszt in Esztergom on 29 July.
‘Hungarian Jews were generally known for their assimilated and law-abiding nature. By and large, they saw themselves as loyal Hungarian citizens and followed the law of the land to the letter. This was part of a well-rehearsed strategy on the part of their leaders. Between the emancipation of Hungarian Jewry and its nearly complete annihilation, Hungarian Jewish leaders experienced various levels of antisemitism. For most of their history, they could and did turn to the state authorities to ease their suffering. This strategy, useful during the previous decades, turned self-destructive in 1944–45.’
This year’s Highlights of Hungary Awards celebrated three outstanding Hungarian achievements: the preservation efforts of Levente and Tímea Gáll, the compassionate work of the Hungarian Hospice Foundation, and the artisanal excellence of Szabi the Baker. The winners each received 2 million forints and national acclaim for their dedication to community, tradition, and humanity.
Protesting antifa crowds attempted to block the entrance to the Hungarian House in Brussels to stop the event launching Jordan Bardella’s new book. According to Balázs Orbán’s post on X, the mob threw bottles and fireworks at the police, marking another attempt to silence right-wing voices in the capital of Europe.
One of the most pressing issues in enhancing the competitiveness of Europe is the need to optimize defence spending. Europeans now spend much more on defence in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with ten European NATO members set to reach the 2 per cent of GDP spending threshold by the end of 2024. However, developing and acquiring modern weapon systems of cutting-edge technology demand an exponential level of spending for development and production, which can hamstring the capabilities of nation-states if they want to fit out their armies fully with domestically produced equipment, from building tools to jet fighters.
An election night in Budapest: Hungarian conservatives gathered in anticipation of a Trump victory at an event hosted by MCC and the Center for Fundamental Rights on 5 November. There were serious panel discussions with experts, but also plenty of fun, chatting, drinks and food, with attendees keeping their fingers crossed for the candidate on the right side of history.
While President George W Bush enjoyed a record-high 90 per cent approval rating in the wake of the tragic 9/11 attack in 2001, his support dropped to just 25 per cent by October 2008. This was due to the eventual unpopularity of the Iraq war, but mostly, due to the 2008 financial crisis. Illinois Senator Barack Obama narrowly defeated former First Lady Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, then handily won the 2008 election to become the first black President in US history.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.