This year’s St Stephen’s Day celebration promises the most spectacular fireworks in its history, with over 45,000 light and pyrotechnic effects spread across a nearly five-kilometre display area, accompanied by a drone show and light projections.
Hungary’s largest pump track has opened in Zamárdi, offering cyclists of all skill levels a new attraction on the shores of Lake Balaton. The 67-million-forint project is expected to boost tourism and promote active lifestyle.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary could cause Ukraine’s collapse within a day by cutting energy supplies but has no intention of doing so. He declared ‘Ukraine has lost the war, Russia has won,’ adding that only Western aid is delaying the inevitable.
‘This is significant because Hungary is uniquely positioned to be an asset to President Trump as he handles another crisis in the Indo-Pacific region: China and its continued threats to militarily invade Taiwan. Hungary is increasingly proving itself to be an indispensable country for China and its overall strategy in Europe, and is becoming increasingly important financially for Taiwan.’
A Forsa poll shows Germany’s AfD ahead of the CDU, 26 to 24 per cent, the biggest lead since February’s election. The result mirrors a rightward trend across Europe, with Austria’s FPÖ, France’s National Rally and Reform UK also dominating national polls.
Record-breaking heatwaves are sweeping across Europe and beyond, with temperatures nearing 40°C in parts of the continent. Scientists warn the extreme weather is a clear sign of climate change, while fires and health risks escalate across affected regions.
President Trump has been consistently underpolled in his political career. Therefore, when assessing how much of his national support he managed to retain since winning the election in November, we need to dig deeper than just looking at his approval rating. Let’s explore how the second Trump term is going, according to the numbers.
This year’s US human rights report on Hungary marks a dramatic break from the Biden years, omitting past allegations on media freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, and corruption. Instead, it commends government action in several areas—a change Budapest calls a return to ‘respect’.
The Sziget Festival drew 416,000 visitors this year, a 5 per cent increase over 2024, thanks to fresh concepts, a younger audience, and diverse programming. Despite the boost, the event still fell short of profitability but showed improved results.
‘Bismarck’s campaign for a “good treaty” with Russia reflected the notion that antagonizing the Russians could be as disastrous as waking a bear from hibernation—an apt metaphor for what the U.S.–NATO expansionist approach eventually did…Bismarck emphasized the urgency of not only respecting Russia’s interests but also recognizing it as a crucial player on the global political stage…’
On Saturday, aviation fans can explore rare airport vehicles, meet well-known pilots, and enjoy behind-the-scenes experiences during Aeropark’s Night of the Airport, celebrating Ferihegy’s 75th anniversary with unique programmes and scenic flights.
After drawing the away game, Ferencváros mounted a decisive, 3–0 victory over the Bulgarian champions PFC Ludogorets Razgrad at home in Budapest, Hungary. Now, Fradi is just one two-leg tie away from reaching the league phase of the UEFA Champions League—the final match-up will be against the Azeri side Qarabağ FK.
European leaders’ obsession with the Munich analogy ahead of the Trump–Putin summit is turning history into a political crutch. Leaders warn of appeasement, yet ignore the radically different context of today’s war, risking self-imposed irrelevance in peace talks and handing strategic advantage to Washington and Moscow.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed an EU joint statement on the upcoming Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, breaking with the bloc’s 26 other members. While they welcomed Trump’s peace efforts, Orbán argued the EU should not set conditions for talks it was not invited to, urging instead an EU–Russia summit to ensure Europe’s voice in the process.
Hungary needs leadership accepted by all and capable of preserving peace, security, and economic growth, a role only Viktor Orbán can fulfill today, said his political director Balázs Orbán in an online interview on Monday.
On the night of 8 August, the Baltic Air Defence Readiness Unit of the Hungarian Defence Forces was called on its their first live Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) scramble, after an unidentified aircraft not willing to engage in radio communications with air traffic control entered the intranational air space over the Baltic Sea. The aircraft was identified as Russian, and was successfully captured by Hungarian fighter jets.
On International Youth Day, Hungary’s media authority highlights the need for families to gain the skills necessary for safe and conscious digital device use, stressing both the opportunities and hidden risks of online life for younger generations.
A new survey by the Szent István Institute and Nézőpont Institute shows nearly 60 per cent of Hungarians prefer government support for buying a home over rental housing construction, with ownership seen as a key to stability and independence.
During an 11 August press conference at the White House, Donald Trump said he had sought advice from Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on whether Ukraine can defeat Russia, calling the insight ‘very interesting’. Trump is set to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday to discuss a potential peace framework for the war in Ukraine.
‘China’s engagement in the Western Balkans is evidently part of a comprehensive global strategy aimed first at expanding its economic presence and second at increasing its geopolitical influence. Its interest in the region offers medium-term economic opportunities for Western Balkan countries, while also posing significant long-term challenges for the EU.’
Head of the Center for Fundamental Rights Miklós Szánthó has published a lengthy Facebook post mocking radical leftist law professor Zoltán Fleck for suggesting that the rule of law should be suspended to change the constitution if the opposition only wins a simple majority in parliament in Hungary in next year’s election.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called on France and Germany to take a leading role in engaging Russia ahead of the Trump–Putin meeting in Alaska on 15 August. Orbán stressed that Paris and Berlin, as key EU powers, must initiate an EU–Russian summit to ensure Europe is not sidelined in critical negotiations.
In an interview with Le Figaro, political director of the Hungarian prime minister Balázs Orbán discussed Hungary’s approach to Europe’s challenges, including the war in Ukraine and migration, while defending what is often labelled as ‘Orbánism’.
In his latest Blue Planet podcast, former Hungarian President János Áder spoke with energy expert Attila Aszódi about rising summer electricity demand, the shift toward electrification, and why nuclear energy may be essential for meeting climate targets.
‘British citizens are now unable to access content online, relating to their own country, unless they’re willing to hand over their data to large tech firms….The more the government tries to shut down any critique of its management of issues which the public deeply care about, the more backlash there will be.’
A high-tech traffic monitoring system near Budaörs creates a real-time digital twin of an 800-metre highway section, aiming to improve road safety, prevent accidents, and even reduce phantom traffic jams through 3D visualization and driver alerts.
Hungary has launched a 12-billion-forint grant programme to promote the creation of geothermal-based electricity and heat production systems. The second geothermal call for proposals is open for public feedback until 18 August, the Ministry of Energy announced.
‘UNESCO’s programming in the areas of education and the social and human sciences, combined with the work of the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and international human rights treaty body committees, transformed the aspirational UDHR into a “living” instrument for realizing Huxley’s progressive vision.’
In its ‘Beyond the Óperencia’ series, Magyar Krónika is looking at the meeting points of America and Hungary, and at Hungarians in America, from penniless peasants to political emigrants and soldiers of fortune. This part will look at the life of Joseph Pulitzer, who originally left for Mexico to become a soldier but ended up staying in America and becoming a journalist.
‘It can no longer be said that the individual manqué is merely a “shadow”; it appears, rather, to be the norm. Today, it is worth reflecting on the extent to which, since Oakeshott’s death, the European experience has shifted from Societas to Universitas—and on the current condition of both the individual and the “mass man”.’