Balázs Orbán and Carl Bildt clashed at Budapest’s Brain Bar festival, offering starkly different visions for Europe’s future. While Bildt urged deeper EU integration to confront crises from migration to war, Orbán accused Brussels of centralizing power and undermining sovereignty—echoing Hungary’s longstanding call for new leadership.
The Patriots for Europe face growing scrutiny over alleged ties to €4.3 million in misused EU funds linked to the dissolved ID group. As legal pressure mounts, critics argue the investigation reflects political bias and double standards within EU institutions, raising concerns about the impartiality of oversight bodies in Brussels.
Hungary’s economy may expand by 2.8 per cent next year, according to Equilor Investment Ltd, which sees rising household consumption and easing inflation as key drivers, despite risks from global uncertainty and Europe’s sluggish growth.
‘Globalization is, for me, not a well-defined term…It’s a journalistic word. So I would prefer talking about the differing levels of internationalization of the world economy, which is a legitimate topic. To say that there was an era of globalization and there is a new era of post-globalization is, for me, nonsense.’
Hungary’s Center for Fundamental Rights launched the Just One Bad Choice campaign, warning that migration could undo the nation’s security. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Röszke border clash, leaders stressed that Western Europe’s experience shows how one wrong decision can transform society forever.
Budapest’s municipal government could face insolvency by late 2025, putting public services at risk, according to a new report by the State Audit Office, which highlights mounting deficits, depleted reserves, and rising financial obligations.
A new poll by Donald Trump’s longtime pollster, McLaughlin & Associates, shows Fidesz–KDNP leading Tisza—contradicting weeks of opposition-linked surveys that had placed Péter Magyar’s party ahead. Commissioned by Index, the poll puts Fidesz at 43 per cent, Tisza at 37, with Viktor Orbán still seen as the favourite for prime minister.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that introducing the so-called ‘TISZA tax’ is part of a Brussels plan to finance war preparations and Ukraine’s EU accession. He pledged that Hungary will resist such pressures and remain on the side of peace.
The blood of Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk is not only on the hands of their killers—it stains the political and cultural establishment that excused, enabled, and even celebrated their deaths. These tragedies are not isolated—they are warnings for conservatives worldwide.
‘The sad truth is that most liberal democracies have had it so good for so long that we’ve forgotten that almost nothing worthwhile comes without effort, that freedom has to be defended, and that often enough the alternative to fighting is surrender. Something that Israel has always known; that the Ukrainians have more recently discovered; that the Taiwanese might belatedly be waking up to…’
From 17 to 19 October, Budapest will host the Cinemira Film Festival with screenings, creative workshops, and special programmes for children, teens, and families at the Marczibányi Cultural Center and Cinema City Mammut.
‘Within just 14 months, the US has witnessed both the attempted assassination of a former president and presidential candidate, and the actual assassination of one of the most prominent figures supporting the party in power…Both attacks unfolded before crowds of thousands…No wonder two incidents like those have prompted a change in perspective towards free speech on the right.’
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Tuesday in Szekszárd that Western Europe is no longer a model for Hungary, warning that migration, insecurity, and economic decline threaten the West. He urged Hungarians to pursue their own national path.
The 5th Danube Institute Geopolitical Summit has concluded with a discussion about the economies and geopolitical significance of Turkic states, such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye. Balázs Hendrich, Ian Proud, and Yulduzkhon Imomova have shared their expert opinions on the subject.
Hungary’s first drive-through postal service has opened in Nyíregyháza, allowing customers to handle transactions such as bill payments, letter posting, and parcel collection without leaving their cars, offering added convenience and accessibility.
‘There is not much time left to save France, to restore our European nations—but the people are there, ready for change,’ Fabrice Leggeri told Hungarian Conservative. The former head of Frontex, now serving as a Member of the European Parliament for France’s National Rally, expressed confidence in the rise of patriotic forces and their ability to represent the will of the people across the EU.
Justin Logan told Hungarian Conservative that NATO is entering a new era where Europe must provide for its own security. With the US unwilling to give Ukraine ironclad guarantees and Russia grinding forward, he warned that European pledges will mean little unless backed by real force.
Hungarians will soon enjoy full visa-free travel to the United States again, after President Trump’s administration reversed restrictions imposed under Joe Biden. US Chargé d’Affaires Robert Palladino announced that from 30 September, ESTA approvals will be valid for two years, allow multiple entries, and cover all Hungarian citizens.
Has Hungary made efforts to diversify its energy resources since 2022? What alternative energy supply routes does Hungary have? What will Hungary do if Donald Trump asks it to stop buying Russian oil? We spoke with the Hungarian State Secretary for Energy about Hungary’s energy policy.
Global trade was in focus for the first panel discussion at Day 2 of the Danube Institute’s Geopolitical Summit. Whether or not these times are ‘the end of globalization’ sparked a fierce debate even among the distinguished speakers. The list of speakers featured Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott of Australia, Former Prime Minister and President Václav Klaus of the Czech Republic, Managing Director for the Janus Forum Darren Spinck, and more.
Six major Hungarian companies will receive nearly 15 billion forints in funding to develop cutting-edge innovations in fields from medicine to energy and AI, working closely with universities and research institutes, the NKFI announced.
‘Sadly, this time it isn’t one of the important outlets taking pot shots. Instead, it is the EU Observer. While a tiny fraction of the size of Politico and Euractiv, the rarely-read paper has opted to repeat the same tired tropes about Hungary—that the country is some tired, authoritarian hellhole where the public is just crying out for some liberal democracy.’
Viktor Orbán warned on X that Sweden is collapsing into ‘barbarism’, citing reports of organized crime using minors for murders. The Hungarian PM accused Stockholm of failing to protect its citizens despite lecturing others on the rule of law.
Government inspections revealed that 60 per cent of Budapest’s BKV buses are unsafe, with critical faults ranging from brakes to fire safety. Officials demand urgent action from city leadership to guarantee passenger safety.
Trade is now diplomacy, and connectivity is diplomacy—like the IMEC corridor linking Asia and Europe. We can’t go back to old systems; instead, we must build a new order based on diplomacy, trade, and connectivity, preserving capitalism while fostering cooperation amid global challenges, Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Isabella De Monte told our site in an exclusive interview.
Relations between Hungary and the United Arab Emirates are set to deepen as recent high-level meetings signal a new phase of strategic cooperation. With a focus on sectors like energy, digital infrastructure, space, and defence, both nations aim to expand economic ties and strengthen their partnership within the EU framework.
At the 5th Geopolitical Summit in Budapest, US Chargé d’Affaires Robert Palladino framed Hungary as central to the ‘renewal of Western civilization’, praising its defence of sovereignty and family. He argued that America and Hungary are allies not by convenience but conviction, united against chaos by shared civilizational values.
Hungarian musicians dominated Spotify and YouTube in 2024, with Azahriah and DESH leading both platforms, while global stars barely appeared on local charts, according to a new NMHH study on Hungary’s music streaming habits.
‘Borders must be enforced, constitutions defended, and citizenship laws tightened,’ Fabrice Leggeri declared at the Geopolitical Summit in Budapest. The former Frontex chief set out a detailed plan to reclaim sovereignty, warning that EU ideology has blurred lines between residence, rights, and national identity. Panellists from both sides of the Atlantic agreed.
The rules-based international order is collapsing, warned panellists at Danube Institute’s 5th Geopolitical Summit, as the UN and EU drift into irrelevance or abuse of power. Speakers, including Zoltán Kovács, agreed that sovereignty lies with nations, not supranational bureaucracies, but cautioned that unchecked collapse could bring conflict instead of stability.
