‘In the end, the USD’s centrality to the system of global payments also increases the power of sanctions it imposes on other countries or individuals. In truth, since almost all trade is done in American dollars, even trade among other countries, they can always be subject to US sanctions because they are handled by so-called correspondent banks with accounts at the Federal Reserve. By cutting off the ability to transact in USD, Washington can make it uncomfortable for those it blacklists to do business.’

During the Kádár era, it was forbidden to drink alcohol on the streets and sometimes people were even searched and checked in pubs. In contrast, at house parties, young people had the opportunity to meet and flirt, and they only had to worry that their parents would come home earlier or that annoying neighbours would call the police on them on the landline phone.

‘The protection of human life, the protection of the family, or the protection of the sort of education that characterized Europe are basic values ​​that we should definitely stick to because otherwise we are not Europeans,’ Professor Ferenc Hörcher, Director of the Research Institute of Politics and Government at Ludovika University of Public Service told Hungarian Conservative in a recent interview.

Conservative visions of the future of Europe after the European elections; the cultural crisis in the Western world as influenced by far-left movements including the ‘Woke’; and international security and geopolithical challenges—these were the main topics of the Free Speech and Freedom of Thought: British and European Conservative Visions of the Future of Europe conference held at the Danube Institute on 18 June. The all-day event aimed to bring together British, European, and American scholars and public figures to discuss how conservative political strategies can shape a world in flux.

Political Director for the Prime Minister of Hungary Balázs Orbán talked to the prominent French paper Le Monde. In the piece, he discussed Hungary’s pro-peace approach to the Russo⁠–⁠Ukrainian war, the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as Commission President, and Fidesz’s pursuit of joining a political group in the European Parliament as well.

After late-night talks, EU leaders have decided on the top jobs of the EU, with Ursula von der Leyen preparing for a second term as President of the European Commission, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa as President of the European Council. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán criticized the pact between the EPP, S&D, and Renew, which disregards the will of the voters, calling it a ‘coalition of lies and deceit’.

At the Union’s Representative Council (SZKT) meeting in Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca) on Thursday, the RMDSZ president stated that the alliance is the only credible representative of Hungarians in Transylvania. He explained that the RMDSZ serves as a tool for Hungarian advocacy and as an organizer for the Hungarian community in Transylvania, with over 90 per cent of votes for Hungarian parties going to RMDSZ candidates in this year’s local elections.

According to CNN’s own poll, more than two-thirds, 67 per cent of the viewers thought that President Trump had won the debate. President Biden’s odds for re-election plummeted after the event, with bookmakers giving him only about a 22.5 per cent chance for re-election on average. Meanwhile, some in the left-leaning media call on Biden not to stand for re-election.

The SpaceBuzz-HU, which allows for virtual space travel, is part of an educational programme demonstrating the fragility of our planet and will be made available to Hungarian schools free of charge.

‘Family policy will remain of utmost importance to us, as part of our overarching priority of demography during our presidency. It is clear that all of our societies are being reshaped by the challenges of demographic change. The Hungarian Presidency intends to examine demography from the perspective of competitiveness in a holistic way by including it in the agenda of almost all council formations,’ State Secretary responsible for families at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation Ágnes Hornung told Hungarian Conservative in a recent interview.

Given the uncontrollable nature of AI and its potential to shape social perception, legislative action in this area has been long awaited. The European Union, recognizing the urgency and importance of this issue, has been at the forefront with its recently adopted Artificial Intelligence Act.

‘But national consciousness is precisely the origin of modern democracy and is still crucial for organizing democratic solidarity. Of course, nationalism can lead to a dangerous chauvinism which makes people believe that their nation has the right to bully others, but these cases are, fortunately, exceptional excesses. The big picture is that nationalism and modern parliamentary democracy emerged in the 19th century in intimate connection and presuppose each other.’

In a recent article, POLITICO Brussels criticizes Hungary for its close economic ties with China but fails to mention that one of the main sponsors of Euro 2024 in Germany is the Chinese company BYD. In fact, the number one trading partner of the host Germans in 2023 was none other than China.

Hungary was able to launch its national astronaut programme, Hunor, thanks to the cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (KKM) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Under this programme, the Hungarian astronaut will carry out national projects on the International Space Station.

Donald Trump has expanded his lead over Joe Biden in the national polling aggregate since his conviction. Meanwhile, President Biden’s approval rating by Gallup is at an abysmal 38 per cent ahead of the CNN debate in Atlanta, Georgia tonight, which is not a good indicator for reelection.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2024, Budapest is in the top five in the category of cities that have improved the most over the past twelve months. The Hungarian capital scored 92.0 out of 100 points, moving up seven places to rank 32nd.

In its country report on Hungary, the IMF proposes the same measures to ‘recover’ the Hungarian economy that brought the country to the brink of collapse in 2008. In his Facebook post, Balázs Orbán stressed: ‘We won’t ask for it again, thank you!’

Despite being heavy favourites going into the game, Portugal ended up having been beaten by Georgia in the final round of the group stage at Euro 2024. This resulted in Hungary falling out of the top four third-place finishers in the groups, thus failing to advance to the round of 16.

The updated test will now include questions covering topics regarding the Holocaust, Jewish culture, and the state of Israel. This initiative, part of a broader revision of the citizenship test, aims to ensure that applicants have a comprehensive understanding of Germany’s complex history and its stance on Israel.

‘The corruption is staggering. Chemically and surgically intervening to halt the normal sexual development of children is an extreme measure by any reckoning. In Europe, physicians and researchers have stepped back from permitting these treatments, out of concern for poor outcomes, and as the phenomenon of gender dysphoria in youth—which has skyrocketed over the past decade—is better understood.’

The description of the Thucydides Trap is more a description of a spontaneous escalation rather than a well-calculated move towards changing the international order. Applied to the case of the US and China, the ‘Thucydides Trap’ is far removed from the reality and complexity of such power relations, beyond being a useful rhetorical tool.

Law professor and legal philosopher Jenő Szmodis appeared on the Glóbusz podcast hosted by Jonatán Nagy-Bato, where they discussed the changing concepts of humanity over the course of history, alternating between individualistic and community-centred ideas.

‘Nevertheless, the Tories will be swept away by popular anger on 4 July. Then, who’s left? No one else than the infamous Nigel Farage. And it is exactly the Conservative Party’s obfuscation and identity crisis that Brexit leader Nigel Farage has used to launch the Reform UK party.’

Chery Automotive, the fifth-largest automotive company in China and the largest Chinese exporter, is arriving in Hungary with the Omoda series. The car will be on Hungarian roads from September, with Omoda showrooms also opening in the same month at eight locations across the country.

Nearly three weeks after the European elections, it remains unclear which right-wing political group the Hungarian governing party, Fidesz, will join in the new European Parliament. In this analysis, we examine the possible alternatives and attempt to answer this question.

After ten years, NATO will have a new Secretary General: outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. As head of government, Rutte has often criticised Hungary, but he has promised to honour the agreement between Viktor Orbán and Jens Stoltenberg that Hungary will stay out of NATO’s mission in Ukraine.

The 110th anniversary of Hungarian animation is the featured theme of this year’s Budapest Classic Film Marathon, taking place from 17 September to 2 October for the seventh time. Besides animated works, the marathon will feature over a hundred restored classics and long-unseen film treasures across ten programme blocks.

The Ratha-yātrā Chariot Festival will be held for the 28th time in Budapest this Saturday; it will later merge with the India Festival held in City Park on the same day. The programmes are free to attend.

Hungary begins its six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July during a period of extraordinary circumstances and challenges. During its presidency, Hungary aims to focus on seven priorities to answer the EU’s most pressing economic, security, and social issues.

‘This is why the model pioneered by Viktor Orbán and Fidesz matters so much to Western conservatives. Orbán understood a long time ago that powerful private actors—especially George Soros and his Open Society Foundations—exercise disproportionate power over Hungarian affairs, or at least seek to do so. Similarly, public institutions that have been captured by illiberal progressives operate as if they have a natural right to evade scrutiny and accountability. And if leaders of the political Right are too shackled by their right-liberal convictions to take the fight to them, why shouldn’t the cultural socialists do whatever they think is necessary to win?’