Hungary’s government finalized the terms of its 3 per cent home loan programme, expanding eligibility and introducing new support for public servants, while also criticizing an EU–US trade deal and reaffirming its stance on national sovereignty.
After the US–EU trade deal, it is impossible to ignore the striking similarities between late Qing‑era China and Europe’s current predicament. The period marking the downfall of the Qing dynasty is known as China’s Century of Humiliation—a process that, in many respects, is already well underway in today’s Europe. Yet our humiliation must not be allowed to last a century.
In April, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu visited Budapest amid international controversy over an ICC arrest warrant. Hungary, rejecting the court’s legitimacy, announced its withdrawal from the ICC, later formalized in May. The ICC has since launched non-compliance proceedings, while Hungary claims the court is politically biased and vows not to cooperate.
Esztergom will once again host MCC Feszt, one of Hungary’s most prominent intellectual festivals, kicking off Thursday with a diverse mix of public debates, lectures, and concerts. Headliners include Peter Thiel, Sebastian Kurz, and Dominic Cummings, with nearly 50,000 visitors expected, according to MCC Director General Zoltán Szalai.
The euro plunged to $1.1565 on 29 July, down 1.6 per cent since the US–EU trade deal was announced—despite Ursula von der Leyen calling it a ‘huge deal’. Markets, however, delivered their verdict: the agreement heavily favours Washington, leaving Europe with rising energy dependence and economic uncertainty.
After months of negotiations between Brussels and Washington, Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump announced a new EU-US trade deal. Though hailed as a success by the Commission President, the agreement disproportionately favours the United States, risking Europe’s strategic overdependence on Washington. Additionally, the deal delivers a serious blow to Hungary’s economy.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán appeared as the first guest of a new political podcast, sharing insights on digital activism, the youth vote, internal polling, the EU, and migration, declaring the internet a battleground that must not be surrendered.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in his annual address at the Bálványos Summer Free University, known as Tusványos, warned of the growing threat of a potential world war. He also outlined Hungary’s neutrality doctrine, comprising five key pillars aimed at keeping the country out of armed conflict.
A united European army remains an illusion, argued Hungarian and regional experts at Tusványos. Citing historical, political, and structural obstacles, panellists instead urged member states to focus on NATO, develop national defence industries, and prepare for a shifting global security landscape.
Hungary and France are expanding their cooperation across nuclear energy, defence, and agricultural policy, with strong alignment on national sovereignty and opposition to EU budget plans that would reduce support for European farmers.