In his keynote address at Day 2 of the Danube Institute’s Family Formation Conference, Balázs Orbán emphasized that it is the responsibilities that we take on and our relationship with others that give meaning to our lives; and lauded the increase in marriages and decrease in abortions in Hungary since 2010. A panel discussion about crime, immigration, and the family followed.
Five JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets from the Hungarian Air Force have been deployed to Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark to participate in Ramstein Flag 2025, a major NATO air combat exercise held across Dutch, German, and Danish airspace until 11 April.
The European Parliament is set to debate Hungary’s new legislative package, which includes amendments to the law on the right of assembly—labelled by progressives as a ‘Pride ban’—as well as stricter regulations on foreign-funded NGOs and media outlets. However, as democratic as it is, the EP has ‘forgotten’ to invite Hungary to participate in or respond during the debate.
‘Many accused the court’s ruling of depriving the electorate the chance of deciding who is fit to hold political office in France. Rather than disqualifying Le Pen from the presidential race, it could have been decided to merely fine the party for the misappropriated funds. The ban on running for office is widely seen as a disproportionate intervention into the political affairs of the country…’
The White House has confirmed that the new US tariff system will take effect immediately upon presidential approval, starting Wednesday. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that President Donald Trump and his trade policy team have been working until the last moment to finalize the measures.
The Hungary Helps mission has officially launched in Nigeria under the leadership of State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians Tristan Azbej. Over the past seven years, Nigeria has been a key focus of Hungary’s humanitarian efforts, aiming to support local communities and address ongoing crises.
‘Those countries that are thinking about their future are looking to Hungarian family policy as a model. The fundamental pillars of Hungarian family policy are the protection of family values and the financial support for families raising children,’ Minister for Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó highlighted in an interview with Hungarian Conservative.
Media reports have emerged alleging that Hungary has appealed against Interpol’s arrest warrant for Milorad Dodik. Serbia—a close ally of both Hungary and Republika Srpska—also lodged a complaint, arguing that the red notice issued on 28 March violates Article 3 of Interpol’s Statute.
Mr Palladino outlined the similar policies aimed at helping families by the Trump administration in the United States and the Orbán administration in Hungary. He also talked about ‘the American vibe shift’, by which he refers to how the current US administration is putting the cultural focus on families and childbearing again.
The Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) is accepting applications for its Junior Training Program until 29 June. Designed for new university students, this free talent programme provides a unique opportunity for career building and personal growth, featuring exclusive mentorship and international networking.
The Danube Institute’s two-day conference on family formation and demographic decline continued with a panel discussion comparing Hungarian and American policies and perspectives on the issue. Participants agreed that the West faces a civilizational crisis but expressed hope in the Trump administration’s shift—led by Vice President JD Vance—toward a pro-family approach.
‘Maya Kadosh, Israel’s next ambassador to Hungary, has arrived in Hungary…In the coming years, the goal is to place even greater emphasis on strengthening the friendly alliance between the two countries. Welcome, Madam Ambassador!’
Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has criticized the French court ruling that bars Marine Le Pen from running for office, calling it an attempt to deprive citizens of their right to vote. The decision, he argues, weakens French democracy rather than strengthening it.
The Danube Institute’s two-day event dedicated to family formation has started with keynote addresses from Executive Director István Kiss; author and Budapest Fellow Helen Roy; Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, a descendant of the historic Habsburg family; and Minister for Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó of Hungary.
Hungary has officially adopted e-cash registers, paving the way for a paperless receipt system. Businesses can start using NAV-approved digital registers from July, bringing lower costs, simplified administration, and eco-friendly transactions.
‘Lovinger explained the weaponization of the federal investigative process, describing how the ONA and other US state bodies had been captured by lawless, self-serving individuals to whom blackmail and corruption were beyond business as usual—they were a method and a system.’
According to POLITICO, Germany’s incoming government plans to call on the European Union to withhold funds and suspend voting rights from member states deemed to be ‘misbehaving’. The news fits into a broader, coordinated campaign by pro-war forces seeking to sideline Hungary—the only country currently standing in the way of the EU’s potential escalation into open conflict with Russia.
French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen was found guilty on Monday of embezzling European Parliament funds and barred from standing in elections for the next five years. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, along with other prominent figures of the European right, expressed solidarity with Le Pen and condemned the conviction.
Retired Hungarian footballer Zsolt Lőw has been appointed as the Head Coach of the German Bundesliga club RB Leipzig on a temporary basis until the end of the season. There, he will be coaching two Hungarian internationals: goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi and centre-back Willi Orbán.
Hungary is laying the groundwork for a national space law and the establishment of a National Space Agency, as part of its commitment to expanding its space industry. The government is also working on updating its space strategy, ensuring Hungary remains a competitive player in the global space economy.
‘The honouraries of Highlights of Hungary represent all walks of life. We often say about ourselves that we are collecting highlights without any categorization. That is because the great message of the project is that everything can be done well. No matter what part of life God has put you in, you are tasked with a duty, and if you like it, you can excel in that’.
Hungary saw continued wage growth in January 2025, with the gross average salary rising to 668,100 forints, marking a 10.4 per cent increase from the previous year. Real wages have now been on an upward trend for 17 consecutive months, helping to improve purchasing power and boost economic confidence.
Hungary’s rising swimming stars shone at the NCAA finals in Washington. Hubert Kós stormed to three gold medals, including a world-record-breaking swim, and helped the University of Texas secure the NCAA team title. Zalán Sárkány retained his title in the 1650-yard freestyle, while Minna Ábrahám broke her school record in the women’s 200-yard event.
The European Commission has approved the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) for 2025–2027, allocating 1.3 billion euros to key technologies that will shape Europe’s future and technological sovereignty. The initiative will support AI development, cybersecurity, and digital skills training.
According to local media reports, President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik is currently in Moscow, where he is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Interpol issued a ‘red notice’ for Dodik after he left Bosnia and Herzegovina despite an active federal arrest warrant, having visited Serbia and Israel in the past week.
‘On average, women are having one less child today than they were having in 1990…A country’s population size is being sustained when its total fertility rate reaches 2.1, but more than half of the world’s countries are below this level…In parallel with depopulation, life expectancy is on the increase, resulting in a major transformation of the age structure of societies.’
‘There were agents who tried to submit reports as meaningless as possible to avoid harming anyone, while others fully embraced their role as secret informants. “Viola” clearly belonged to the latter category—she seemed to take pleasure in reporting on her friends and acquaintances…’
‘It’s high time we tell our stories: paint them, etch them, carve them, and turn them into stained glass. The Palace of Culture in Marosvásárhely is a signal of triumph—a beautiful window into the culture of Transylvania and of Hungary. We need a shot of that cultural self-awareness and self-confidence on our side of the pond. We need some stained-glass ballads of our own…’
‘According to Prohászka, in modernity the tradition of earlier, non-atheistic ages does not die out completely, so that modernity, despite its distinctness, also draws on expressions of earlier forms of cultural life. If a positive turn is to be made, this must be grasped first and foremost.’
‘Sometimes, I’ve come across Hungarians in the most unlikely places. For example, I saw an article by a certain Rev. Laszlo LaDany from Hong Kong, who translated from Chinese to English. When I contacted him, it turned out that he had a niece in England whom my uncle and his wife were supporting.’