After a 16-year hiatus, Croatia is reintroducing mandatory military service—a move that several European countries have been considering amid growing security concerns across the continent. But what about Hungary?
No progress was made on the future of the Sziget Festival, as the Budapest General Assembly failed to reach a majority vote on ending the city’s existing public-space contract with the organizers, leaving the fate of Hungary’s biggest music event uncertain.
‘To speak the obvious about demographic transformation, public safety, or cultural integration is to provoke a moral tempest that sweeps aside all debate and casts every doubt into the abyss of social damnation. This is not mere rhetorical excess. It is the lived reality of German public discourse in 2025, where statistical facts about migration are treated as heresy…’
At the International Pro-Israel Summit in Budapest this week, Bryan Leib described Hungary as ‘the beating heart of common sense in Europe’ for being one of the few countries to implement strict border control and stand up to the Islamization of the Old Continent.
Ghosts, witches, and zombies will take over Szeged Zoo this Friday, where visitors can enjoy animal feeding shows, spooky adventures, and a detective game as part of the park’s annual Halloween celebration.
‘This peace comes with a heavy price so far. You know, we paid the price of more than a thousand soldiers who were killed during this war. As President Trump said: “peace through strength”, so what keeps the peace is strength and deterrence—and the bad guys losing the war.’
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on 27 October, marking their first in-person meeting. They discussed Hungary–Vatican cooperation on peace efforts in Ukraine, the Church’s role in social development, and broader international issues, including the Middle East and Europe.
A proposal to rename Budapest’s Bajza Street metro station after late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny failed in the City Assembly’s Transport Committee on Monday. The motion, submitted by Ferencváros Mayor Krisztina Baranyi, sought to rename the stop ‘Bajza Street–Navalny Memorial’ in front of the Russian embassy.
Microsoft has acquired a 27 per cent stake in OpenAI under a newly finalized partnership deal, valuing the ChatGPT developer at 135 billion dollars. The agreement redefines their collaboration and could pave the way for OpenAI’s future public listing.
‘Leftist media outlets lie. They lie all the time. The problem for our friend Tommaso here is that the La Repubblica meeting—which was conducted in English—was recorded on video and later uploaded online by Hungarian parliamentarian Balázs Orbán.’
To fight terrorism, illegal immigration, and antisemitism, we need a strong Israel, a strong United States, and a strong Hungary—this was the key message at the panel discussion of the third International Pro-Israel Summit. It was also revealed that Budapest has become Jerusalem’s number one ally in Europe.
‘During the fighting, two primary schools, one high school, and one kindergarten in the district were damaged, with total costs amounting to 150,000 forints; 20,000 of this was for the physics laboratory at Szilágyi High School alone.’
The Center for Fundamental Rights held its third International Pro-Israel Summit in Budapest. While the first event in 2023 followed the 7 October Hamas attacks, this year’s took place a few weeks after President Trump’s Israel–Hamas peace deal. Speakers included Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Israel’s Education Minister Yoav Kisch, and Yair Netanyahu.
‘Here, we will mostly focus on Batthyány’s role as one of the rebel leaders mentioned; his trial papers have survived to the greatest extent. In October 1959, an investigation was launched “in connection with the crimes of the counter-revolutionaries of Széna Square”, and “during this investigation, we identified several individuals who had not yet been held accountable…”’
‘Tory MPs seem to fluctuate between a state of aporia and a state of delusion.’
The Hungarian Embassy in London hosted the Roger Scruton Symposium on 21 October, bringing together scholars, diplomats and public figures to reflect on the conservative philosopher’s legacy. Organized by the Hungarian Scruton Hub and the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, the event featured four panels examining Scruton’s ideas on nationhood, culture, and the defence of Western civilization.
The documentary Ferenc Krausz — In Pursuit of Electrons, portraying Hungary’s Nobel Prize-winning physicist, has won Best Documentary at the Kraków International Science and Technology Film Festival over the weekend.
A small aircraft carrying Hungarian tourists crashed on Tuesday morning off the coast of Kenya in Kwale County, killing all 11 on board. Authorities confirmed that eight Hungarian citizens, including two minors, were among the victims.
Marcin Tulicki’s new documentary on the takeover of Polish state media under Donald Tusk premiered in Budapest on Monday. During the panel discussion that followed, Gergely Gulyás criticized the European Commission’s approach to rule of law issues, while Zbigniew Ziobro claimed that Tusk’s government operates ‘with EU approval’ despite undermining judicial independence.
By 2028, a new six-lane road will connect Budapest and Liszt Ferenc International Airport, followed by a new railway line and a third terminal by 2035—part of a 2.5 billion euro development to turn the airport into a leading regional hub.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, amid debates over new US sanctions on Russian oil. The visit follows Italian newspaper La Repubblica’s claim that Orbán called Trump’s decision a ‘mistake’—a claim disproven after the full recording was released, showing he made no such criticism and spoke only about Hungary’s energy needs.
What has changed in America since the murder of Charlie Kirk? What are the historical roots of political violence in the country? We discussed the political and social changes in America under Trump and the impact of Charlie Kirk’s murder with the right-wing influencer.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he expects the number of voices opposing the war to grow daily, stressing that most of humanity supports peace, even if Western political narratives suggest otherwise.
It frequently turns out FT’s reporting is questionable at best, complete nonsense at worst. Practically fanfiction, even.
Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó said new US sanctions on Russia’s energy sector have not yet impacted Hungary and stressed that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary may discuss the issue with President Trump next week. He praised Trump’s role in past and current peace efforts, claiming that he brings hope for resolving crises in Ukraine and the Middle East.
‘Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon insisted “wealthy, privileged” people were responsible for the protest campaign, despite polling data indicating a disproportionate number of spoiled votes being cast in disadvantaged areas.’
The Kremlin has indicated that plans for a Trump–Putin peace summit in Budapest remain on track, even after Washington sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil. Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the sides are ‘quite close’ to a deal on Ukraine, welcoming Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s recent shift toward accepting a ceasefire along current frontlines.
‘Belgium, where most of these Russian assets are held (by the Belgian financial institution, Euroclear), is strongly resisting the European Commission’s push to use them. It fears not only repercussions from Russia, but also the capital markets losing trust, which could have long-term consequences on third countries’ willingness to invest and keep their assets in Belgium, or in Europe, indeed.’
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has been accused of match-fixing, while Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups faces charges for participating in an illegal, rigged poker game. The scandal revealed two hard truths: even the multi-million-dollar salaries of the NBA are not sufficient safeguards against illegal gambling, and New York’s five ‘traditional’ La Cosa Nostra families remain active.
A previously virtually unknown Hungarian YouTuber’s spontaneous interview with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s mother during the Peace March has received widespread attention online. Erzsébet Sipos’s open and humorous comments struck a chord with viewers, with some political observers noting that the video may have a favourable impact on Fidesz’s image.