‘Indeed, the cases in which the Open Society Foundation litigates, either directly or indirectly through a representative, are the result of a conscious selection: they are chosen according to their expected political and legal impact and only launched in specific countries. This is how the OSF—and the several NGOs it mobilizes—usually bring cases against Central and Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Slovenia, Poland, or Hungary.’
On 22 November Kendrick Lamar released his latest album, GNX, which marks a major milestone in the rapper’s career, with live performances of the new tracks set to debut during his much-anticipated Super Bowl halftime show. Ahead of this event, fans can enjoy the visually arresting music video for the track ‘Squabble Up’, crafted by renowned Hungarian cinematographer Marcell Rév.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect early Wednesday morning after 14 months of intense conflict. Under the agreement, Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days as Lebanese troops move in to secure the region.
‘For István Käfer, one of the elements that has historically united both Slovakia and Hungary is, surprisingly, the language. Bálint Balassi, for instance, a crucial figure in Hungarian renaissance poetry, wrote his works in Hungarian, but he knew Slovak very well, which greatly influenced his thinking and language use. Cardinal Péter Pázmány also had a significant influence on the development of the Slovak language, by not only allowing, but encouraging its use in Catholic prayers.’
On 20 November 2024 Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, was officially welcomed at the Lion Courtyard of the Royal Buda Castle Castle by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. This event marked the start of Tokayev’s three-day official visit to Hungary. The Kazakh leader was accompanied by government ministers and representatives of Kazakh businesses, highlighting the significance of bilateral relations between the two nations.
The Danube Institute organized a prominent conference addressing the geopolitical tensions and opportunities for collaboration in the increasingly significant Indo-Pacific region. During the event experts from nations with interests in the region examined its future prospects through two panel discussions.
The Hungarian government and the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MKIK) have reinforced their commitment to collaborate on addressing economic challenges and enhancing business performance, focusing on reducing administrative burdens, supporting innovation, and boosting market access.
‘For Hungary, Clement’s tenure offered little tangible support during one of its darkest eras, while his broader legacy includes the catastrophic Sack of Rome, the expansion of Protestantism, and the Anglican schism. Today, he is remembered not as a leader who rose to the challenges of his time, but as a figure whose reign epitomized the turbulence and contradictions of the Renaissance papacy.’
In response to the growing number of reports of party political and ideological bias in Hungarian universities, the Foundation for Transparent Journalism has launched the ‘Transparent Education’ initiative. The project includes the development of guidelines, workshops, and a hotline for students to report such cases.
The 26th Hungarian Real Estate Development Award celebrated the finest developments of 2024, with the Liget Budapest Project winning its top prize. Recognizing projects across 12 categories, the competition highlighted innovation, sustainability, and cultural heritage.
The Art Weekend Budapest (AWB) returns this weekend with 36 free contemporary art programmes across 32 venues. Centred around the theme of movement and gesture, the expanded festival includes exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, and new locations, serving art enthusiasts across Budapest, in Eger, and beyond.
At the request of Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team on Monday, the election subversion case against Donald Trump was dismissed. Prosecutors also moved to dismiss the case concerning the alleged mishandling of classified documents. Additionally, Trump’s hush money case could be deferred until the end of his four-year term, marking significant legal victories for the president-elect.
Zsolt Jakabffy answered God’s calling twice: first, when he became a pastor, and then when he moved to California from Transylvania, with the mission of helping the local Hungarian community preserve both their Christian faith and their Hungarian identity. An interview with the reverend who is also the principal of the Hungarian Sunday school,
‘I am proud to say that Bulgaria is a multicultural, multi-ethnic and extremely tolerant society. Being the oldest state in Europe and having the oldest inhabited city in Europe, Plovdiv, only shows for how long this society has been preserved. At the same time, we are extremely cautious and sensitive concerning the subjects of tradition, values, religion, family, and homeland. We have kept our borders safe, just like our friends in Hungary.’
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has announced a historic wage agreement on Monday. Under this deal, Hungary’s minimum wage will see a cumulative increase of approximately 40 per cent over the next three years.
The second Budapest Ballet Grand Prix concluded with a dazzling gala at Müpa, celebrating winners from 31 countries. The event showcased Hungary’s rich dance heritage while fostering international talent and artistic collaboration.
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Hungarian-born Sebastian Gorka as director general for counter-terrorism in his new administration. Gorka, who previously served in Trump’s first administration, is a staunch supporter of Israel and takes a hardline stance against radical Islamic terrorist groups.
Hungary’s largest energy storage facility is being built in Szolnok, marking a significant step towards energy independence and sustainability. The project is part of broader efforts to expand energy storage capacity, crucial for balancing solar power’s weather-dependent output.
President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) Hunor Kelemen expressed gratitude for increased voter support in the first round of Romania’s presidential elections, highlighting the importance of mobilization ahead of the parliamentary elections on 1 December.
‘It’s very interesting to see to what extent we can acknowledge the fact that diaspora life automatically implies linguistic and cultural assimilation. There’s a growing geographical dispersion; mobility is very characteristic in North America…In 2018 we finally started to talk…about how we see the community, what our strengths and weaknesses are, what we can learn and what challenges we face.’
‘The President made a powerful comment on Ukraine: “Ukraine is fighting for our freedom every day—and we must work for its freedom too.” In light of this, she resolved that our top priority will continue to be “rallying partners to support with short-term needs and long-term reconstruction efforts”.’
‘The Third Budapest School strives to debate the one-sided, analytical, progressive, nihilistic aspirations that dominate American intellectual life, and to cultivate initiatives based on classical European philosophy. It does this by stimulating the formulation of important questions: in contrast to the activist Leninist “What is to be done?”, the Third Budapest School holds that the preeminent question is: “What is to be asked?” This means that the most important measure of all intellectual activity is reality. ’
‘Was Bannon alluding to decimation, whereby as punishment for cowardice or insubordination in the army, one soldier out of ten was picked to be executed, sometimes by their own brothers-in-arms? Would Steve march into the MSNBC newsroom with a dozen lictors? Would he have ten journos draw straws and make sure that Chris Haynes be one of them and that he get to draw the short one?’
‘Aside from a rare or every-now-and-then post, hardly anyone in the mainstream media—this goes for our politicians too—speaks to us about the Christian genocide in Nigeria at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. While Western politicians and certain of our own Catholic hierarchy are reticent, to say the least, to publicly speak about this—such silence is not only scandalous but inadvertently contributes to the persecution—our Catholic brothers and sisters are being slaughtered.’
In a ruling delivered on 12 November 2024, the ECHR condemned Denmark for deporting an Iraqi drug trafficker. The European judges established new principles in this case that could set a precedent and further limit States’ rights to deport foreign criminals. The ruling also undermines UN conventions on drug control.
At the World Science Forum in Budapest former President of the Republic János Áder highlighted a groundbreaking Hungarian methodology designed to replace GDP as the primary measure of economic performance. The new approach accounts for the environmental and social costs of economic activity, thus offers a transformative vision for evaluating progress.
With Austria’s veto lifted, Romania and Bulgaria are set to become full members of the Schengen area by 2025. The agreement was reached in Budapest under the auspices of the Hungarian EU Presidency, marking yet another success for the often-criticized presidency in recent weeks.
It’s official! As expected, US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman has announced his departure following Donald Trump’s victory. Pressman’s tenure will be remembered for his persistent criticism of the Hungarian government, and his exit may signal the start of a new chapter in Hungarian–American relations.
In a wide-ranging interview with Kossuth Radio, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed critical global and domestic challenges, from the Ukraine war and impending changes in US leadership to the ICC warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungary’s stance on peace, migration, and a realigned economic strategy.
Budapest faces a worsening drug crisis, with drugs cheaper and more accessible than ever, warns Alexandra Szentkirályi, leader of the Fidesz–KDNP faction in the capital city’s municipal assembly warned in a video posted on social media. She expressed harsh criticism of the city’s drug strategy, describing it as ‘pro-drug’ and covert drug liberalization, urging an immediate overhaul.