On the eve of Reformation Day we are publishing the last instalment of our eight-part series on how the garments worn by Calvinist pastors evolved over the past five hundred years. Part VIII looks at the types of garments worn by Protestant ministers between the interwar period and the present day.
While the European People’s Party, led by Manfred Weber and Ursula von der Leyen, is conducting an unprecedented smear campaign against Hungary—centred around allegations of corruption—the number of corruption cases linked to the political group continues to grow. Most recently, Weber’s chief of staff has been placed under investigation by Belgian and EU authorities.
A recent study by Hungary’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) reveals that nearly half of teenage girls feel less attractive due to the idealised images they see on social media. The study, examining the social media habits of 13-16-year-olds, points to the need for fostering media awareness to help young people navigate online influences.
As part of a year-long Hungarian-Turkish cultural season, large-scale murals featuring Hungarian heritage and inventions were unveiled in Türkiye, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation announced. The artworks, located in Istanbul and Kocaeli Province, depict both the mythical Csodaszarvas and famed Hungarian inventions, symbolizing the countries’ shared cultural ties and history of innovation.
The new legislation that bans UNRWA from Israel follows extensive debates within the country. Members of the Knesset in favour of the ban have pointed out a disconnect between UNRWA’s mission and the agency’s actual impact. Israeli officials have described UNRWA’s operations in Gaza as ‘rotten’, underscoring doubts about the agency’s ability to provide impartial and effective services while the agency has long become corrupt, involved in the spread of radical ideas and terrorism.
In a drive to support families amid challenging global conditions, the Hungarian government plans to double the family tax allowance in two stages, maintain tax exemptions for families with four children, mothers under 30, and individuals under 25, and extend the reduced 5 per cent VAT rate on residential property sales until 2026, the Ministry of Finance announced. Beside leaving more money in the pockets of families, the new tax amendments also aim to curb the grey economy and reduce administrative burdens.
While President George W Bush enjoyed a record-high 90 per cent approval rating in the wake of the tragic 9/11 attack in 2001, his support dropped to just 25 per cent by October 2008. This was due to the eventual unpopularity of the Iraq war, but mostly, due to the 2008 financial crisis. Illinois Senator Barack Obama narrowly defeated former First Lady Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, then handily won the 2008 election to become the first black President in US history.
An in-depth interview with Zsolt Molnár, who emigrated from Transylvania, Romania to the United States, where he ran a successful business until a tragic accident happened. He fell from a roof and broke his spine, after which he had to find a new occupation: he ended up taking over the Bocskai Radio in Cleveland, Ohio, which he turned into a radio station for the local Hungarian community.
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok held talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade on Monday. The two leaders praised the improving relations between their countries in recent years, which encompass not only infrastructure and energy projects but also people-to-people exchanges.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Georgia has sparked criticism from European Union leaders, who do not recognize the results of the weekend’s elections in the South Caucasus state. During his visit Orbán underlined his support for Georgia’s European integration and the deepening of bilateral relations.
‘Hungarian law explicitly forbids public spaces from bearing the names of individuals who played a part in establishing, consolidating, or perpetuating the totalitarian political regimes of the 20th century. Those who respect Horn’s accomplishments in his later years as prime minister or his contributions to the political left are entitled to their views, yet such respect cannot override the concerns regarding his actions during the Communist dictatorship. Especially not in Budapest—in the city of the Pest Lads.’
For the first time since early August, President Donald Trump is leading the national polling aggregate by RealClearPolitics over Vice President Kamala Harris. His current lead is just 0.2 points. However, he was underestimated by pollsters in the popular vote in both cycles he ran, in 2016 and 2020 as well.
‘Throughout the seminar, one of the central themes that dominated the discussions, panels, and the overall atmosphere was the dichotomy between optimism and pessimism in how we confront reality. As conservatives, we often lean toward pessimism, but this isn’t entirely accurate, as deep within, we possess a profound desire for hope.’
In September, Hungary’s tourism sector saw continued growth, with nearly 1.5 million guests spending 3.6 million nights across the country, a rise from the previous year. Driven by a 5.8 per cent increase in international visitors, tourism revenue surged by 20 per cent, bolstering both Budapest and rural regions, according to official data.
On 1 November the National Heritage Institute will host All Saints’ Day events at the Fiumei Road Cemetery, with choral concerts, a special Mass, and extended hours. Visitors can place candles on the graves of notable Hungarian figures, with maps and candles available at the Info Point.
‘The most important distinguishing feature of the Hungarian national ethos and Hungarian nationalism, according to Joó, is that the Hungarian nation’s leitmotif of Steppe origin survived the foundation of the Christian state, and even survived the Middle Ages, synthesizing it with Christianity. In Western Europe, however, a very different kind of nation-building took place. Charlemagne’s brief attempt at empire-building, i.e. his efforts to renew the Roman Empire on a Christian–Germanic basis, essentially quickly failed.’
The Hungarian government has launched a national consultation under the title Hungary Can Do It, inviting citizens to voice their opinions on a new economic policy aimed at strengthening Hungary’s economy, boosting wages, supporting small businesses, and improving housing affordability.
The Asia-Oceania Working Group (COASI) had an informal meeting in Budapest, Hungary earlier this month, hosted by the Hungarian EU Presidency. At the event, experts discussed such pressing issues as the current political and economic trade collaboration between the European Union and the countries in the Asia-Pacific area, the Indian general election in June of this year, and more.
Budapest Airport, managed by VINCI Airports, has introduced nine new routes in its winter schedule starting 27 October, expanding travel options for Hungarian and international passengers with new destinations in Spain, France, and beyond. This increase, including new long-haul connections, underscores Budapest’s growing appeal as a winter destination.
Dr Jordan B Peterson has recently had a public discussion with evolutionary biologist Dr Richard Dawkins, one of the most prominent figures of the popular atheist movement of the early 2000s. The two philosophers touched on subjects such as Jesus Christ’s birth of a virgin mother and his resurrection, the philosophical foundation for the modern scientific enterprise, and many more intriguing questions.
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Hungary’s investment-grade rating at ‘BBB minus/A-3’ for both foreign and local currency debt, with a stable outlook. The agency’s assessment highlights Hungary’s economic resilience, forecasting steady GDP growth, ongoing disinflation, and medium-term fiscal consolidation.
In parallel with its energy initiatives, Veolia has focused on addressing the growing concern surrounding PFAS contamination in water systems in Hungary. On 17 October 2024, during its Deep Dive – New Solutions for Water conference in Oroszlány, Veolia announced ambitious revenue goals of €1 billion by 2030 aimed specifically at PFAS treatment technologies. The event showcased a comprehensive global strategy for combating these pollutants, which are increasingly recognized as a significant public health threat.
The latest Századvég poll indicates that Fidesz–KDNP maintains a strong lead in Hungarian party rankings, with 40 per cent support among politically active voters. Tisza follows with 31 per cent, while the Our Homeland Movement and the joke party Two Tailed Dog hold 6 per cent each. Meanwhile, left-wing parties remain below the entry threshold for parliament.
‘Before I left for America on this trip, I complained to a Magyar friend about how stubborn Hungarians are, and how they refuse to change their ways of doing things, even when there is a plainly better way. “You’re right, we are like that,” she said. “But consider that our hard-headed temperamental conservatism is also the thing that makes us willing to stand up to Brussels and tell them to go to hell.” Touché.’
‘As a committed Protestant, Joó emphasized the primacy of “spirit” over matter in almost all his writings, but he failed to take into account that religion and “spirit” do not always overlap, and religiosity itself simply becomes ineffective if so-called religious people view the world on the same premises as their atheistic and materialistic counterparts.’
‘Armenia, according to the hagiographical account of the monk Agathangelos, is considered to be the first Christian nation when in the year 301 A.D. the Armenian King Trdat III was baptized by St. Gregory the Illuminator. Yet, if one is to accept legend as history in that Armenia was the first nation to officially accept Christianity, then Ethiopia, based on what is written on the 8th chapter in the Acts of the Apostles, has a better claim to that title.’
Despite BRICS countries’ impressive recent expansion and acquired regional and international leverage both economically and politically, the US dollar’s position as the global reserve currency seems unshakable at present…Upon examining the situation globally, it can be observed that 90 per cent of all foreign exchange transactions in the world were conducted with the help of the US dollar.
‘The diaspora mentality finds the meaning of Hungarian identity in the traditional folk values and advocates these throughout the world. It doesn’t isolate itself either from the world or from present-day Hungary but nurtures contacts with both; builds and maintains relationships everywhere. The idea of a “borderless homeland” means “Wherever there is a Hungarian, there is Hungary.”’
The UK government has confirmed that from June 2025 single-use vapes will be banned in England and Wales. The legislation aims to target environmental waste and counteract the products’ growing appeal among youth.
‘As modern consumer society has made consumption the root of identity, man has become a prisoner of the constant renewal of consumer demands…Contrary to early capitalist societies, people have completely reduced themselves to the self-as-consumer. The short excitement that accompanies consumption is all that modern man has left.’